Yarnfield Lane – Potholes and flood damage
The parish council has been raising concerns about the state of Yarnfield Lane with both the county council highways department and HS2 contractors for over 12 months. As part of this work they have also been encouraging residents to log complaints about potholes on the county council website.
In an attend to find a permanent solution a letter has been sent to Cllr. Ian Parry, who is both the Staffordshire County Councillor for Stone Rural and is the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources at the County Council.
Letter to Cllr. Parry, Monday 4 March, 2024
Dear Councillor Parry,
As I am sure you will be aware, Yarnfield Lane provides the main access route for residents of Yarnfield and Cold Meece to Stone. The lane from the M6 over bridge to the A34 lies within Stone Rural Parish Council. While Stone Rural has not received any complaints about the deplorable condition of the lane, Yarnfield and Cold Meece Parish Council continues to receive complaints from residents. We have alsoraised complaints about the state of the lane on the Staffordshire County Council website and reported our concerns to the HS2 contractor, Balfour Beatty.
The severity of the potholes means they are very difficult to avoid, and there are numerous cases of vehicles being damaged, requiring very costly repairs. We are only aware of cases that affect residents of the parish, but there will be non-residents that use the lane who have also suffered. We are also aware that the damage to vehicles has prompted those affected to seek compensation from Staffordshire County Council.
Over the last 5 years, the lane has been used continuously by major construction projects:
- 2019–2021: Highways England, Smart Motorway Construction
- 2021–2023: Network Plus, Western Power 32KV cable laying (Meaford to Eccleshall)
- 2022–2024: HS2 Ltd. contractors, Early Environmental Works
It is this repeated use by construction traffic that we believe is the principal reason for the state of the lane. This is particularly true in the vicinity of the HS2 compound. At the last HS2 Phase 2a Highways Subgroup Extraordinary Meeting, held on 26th February, in response to a question raised by Yarnfield and Cold Meece Parish Council, parish councils were told by HS2 staff to contact their highway authority in the first instance, who could refer complaints to HS2 Ltd. The presumption being that HS2 Ltd would be liable to carry out repairs or compensate where the damage had been caused by HS2 construction work or traffic. Given the costs involved, both in repairing damaged roads and the number of compensation claims that are being put to the County Council, it seems reasonable to ensure that HS2 Ltd. is held responsible for the impact their work is having.
The most affected length of lane is in the vicinity of the HS2 compound used by Balfour Beatty, which, because of work done on their site, has led to the blocking of a land drain that now causes the lane to be regularly flooded, especially during periods of heavy rain. We believe the damage to the road surface and potholes on this length of the lane are directly attributable to this work. Repairs that have been carried out on the road do not last for more than a few days. Yarnfield and Cold Meece parish councillors have met with the Balfour Beatty site manager in an attempt to resolve these problems but have failed to secure the necessary repairs and unblocking of the land drain. To make matters worse, the road gullies in this section of lane are blocked.
While the debate about where responsibility lies take place, we continue to see no action being taken to carry out any repairs to the lane. I now ask that you use your influence to find a resolution to these issues. My councillors would welcome an opportunity to show you the extent of the problem and would be happy to meet you. It is my hope that we can share with residents the details of what and when the defects will be addressed to provide some assurance that their concerns are being taken seriously.
Regards,
John Fraser
Parish Clerk, Yarnfield and Cold Meece Parish Council