Shrewsbury town centre improvement work to begin again next week
Work to improve footways, crossing points, road signs, street furniture and road surfaces in Shrewsbury town centre is set to begin again next week (Monday 27 April 2020), after being suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The work – being carried out by Shropshire Council as part of the Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Package (SITP) – will be carried out between Smithfield Road and Bellstone, on Roushill, Mardol and Claremont Street.
Work began in late February 2020, but was suspended to protect the health and safety of both the workforce and the public.
Shropshire Council has been working with its contractor – McPhillips ltd – to identify a revised working arrangement that takes into account coronavirus guidelines issued by the Government.
As a result, it is hoped that works could recommence, albeit at a reduced level, on Monday 27 April. Works will be monitored by McPhillips ltd and Shropshire Council, and will follow the current guidance, plus any other further advice that may be issued.
The planned work at the junction of Bellstone and Claremont Street
Extra precautions will be put in place to ensure the health and safety of workers and the public, and consideration will be given to minimising the impact of noise where possible.
Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport, said:
“Alongside the upgrading of Pride Hill, the enhancement of Town Walls to Claremont Bank, and the recent facelift of the kerbs and paving on High Street, this work is key to improving the public and urban realm for Shrewsbury.
“The health and safety of the workforce and the public is our top priority, and I’m pleased that work can now start again, in line with Government guidelines.
“Carrying out work now, whilst the town centre is currently quiet, means that any disruption to businesses and visitors once restrictions are eased or lifted will be minimised – which we hope will help encourage people to visit the town when they are once again able to do so.”
The work will be carried out in phases, and is now due to be completed in early 2021.
On these streets new natural stone kerb lines will be constructed to provide wider footways and new pedestrian crossing points. The footways will be repaved with high-quality natural stone materials.
Updated street furniture, and traffic sign upgrades are planned.
Resurfacing of the roads will be carried out during the course of the year as each phase of the work is completed. This will minimise the impact that a long period of road closures would have, and enable work to be completed as early as possible.
There will be some short-term closures for drainage connection work, and on-street parking spaces and loading bays will be unavailable during the work.
All road closures as part of the scheme will be publicised in advance, and access to premises will be maintained.
The Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Package work is externally funded, via the Marches LEP and developer contributions, and is focussed on delivering public realm, transport, cycling and pedestrian improvements in and around Shrewsbury.
