Queen Street Traffic Chaos: will reduce, but it won't be completed for approximately three weeks

This week, Cheadle has experienced complete traffic gridlock due to four-way traffic lights and two pedestrian crossings, bringing the town to a halt.

A COGNEWS reader mentioned it took her an hour to travel from Tean Road to Queen Street. Our team has navigated more single-track roads this week than we ever knew existed here. With visitors on our High Street struggling with exhaust fumes and rising tempers, we ask: when will this situation improve?

We were concerned to learn that it might take up to 8 weeks, so we approached the gaffer, Mike, to get his perspective. Mike informed COGNEWS that they aim to begin Tarmacking the section of Queen Street where they have been laying pipes tomorrow. Although he can't be certain due to the bank holiday, he assured us that they are just as eager to finish the work as we are.

Once that stretch of Queen Street is tarmacked, the four-way lights will reduce to two-way as they carry out further new pipe installation down that road. He thinks realistically this will take three weeks.

Mike also told us that the pipes have needed replacing for a long time, and the decision had been made to do it when the children were on holiday from school to minimise disruption. Unfortunately, they hadn't considered the impact of Alton Towers traffic.

I asked Mike how we were treating the team, and he said they always get a bit of kickback, but on the whole, people were being tolerant. Unlike some operators, this team is paid for the job not by the hour, so the longer it takes, the more it costs them, and they are of course keen to finish as soon as possible.

We also talked to a manager from Severn Trent who explained that they usually need to follow the gas team since their work affects the sewage pipes. He mentioned that there won't be any issues on the right side of the road because the sewers are located at the back, but their involvement might be necessary when work on the other side is required.

Queen Street Traffic Chaos: will reduce, but it won't be completed for approximately three weeks - created 17.4.25