£1.25m investment set to improve road safety in 14 areas of Shropshire
Safety improvement work is underway on the B4176 ‘Rabbit Run‘, as part of a £1.25m programme of work being carried out this year by Shropshire Council and its contractors.
In total, work is being carried out at 14 different locations across the county between April 2020 and March 2021.
The programme of work – funded through integrated transport capital funding – includes resurfacing, new speed limits, new signage, new road markings and more, and represents a significant investment by the council in improving the county’s roads.
The ‘Rabbit Run’ scheme consists of route-wide road safety improvements between the Rudge Heath roundabout (junction with the A454) heading southwards to the county boundary with south Staffordshire. Work started on site on 8 October 2020 and is expected to be completed by 23 October.
This is the second and final phase of work that will see improvement in road signage, plus the introduction of a 50mph speed limit starting south of the crawler lane section through the Upper Ludstone cutting, and continuing down to the county boundary.
The first phase of work was carried out in 2019 with resurfacing and refreshed road markings.
Under the programme of work three other schemes are due to be carried out before the end of the financial year in March 2021, with dates to be confirmed.
On Sundorne Road, Shrewsbury improvements are to be made to the road markings and traffic signs at the mini roundabout outside the Medical Centre.
On the A41 at Sandford, Prees, south of Whitchurch, a 40mph speed limit will be implemented through the village with improvements to traffic signs and replacement of the existing Vehicle-Activated Signs.
And at Broughall A525, east of Whitchurch a 50mph speed limit will be implemented from the B5398 Waymills Roundabout to the eastern extents of the village, with improved signage and Vehicle-Activated Signs.
Meanwhile the following work has been completed since April 2020:-
By far the biggest scheme on the list was work to widen the A41 in Tong to accommodate a new right turn lane into Stanton Lane, plus road resurfacing, drainage, streetlighting and signing improvements.
Improvements to road markings and traffic signs on Wenlock Road, Bridgnorth – at the Roundthorn Close roundabout and the Church Lane mini roundabout – have been completed this week.
At Huffley Lane, near Bomere Heath a significant amount of carriageway patching has been undertaken and all proposed road markings and traffic signs have been completed as part of a road safety scheme. A Vehicle-Activated Sign will be erected shortly.
At the Column roundabout in Shrewsbury temporary patching has been carried out at the roundabout and road markings have been completed as part of a safety scheme.
Safety schemes have been carried out on the B4373 Wolverhampton Road, Bridgnorth, the A456 at Burford, and the A458 Wootton crossroads, near Bridgnorth.
Work has been carried out in Sheriffhales village following a safety audit, and signs highlighting the weight restriction have been erected on Bridge Road, Broseley, with a 30mph speed limit introduced at Weston Road, Morda.
Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport, said:
“We’re committed to repairing and maintaining our roads, and to improving road safety, and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to invest well over £1million on this essential work that will help to make roads safer across the county.
“The pandemic has meant that it hasn’t been an easy year for carrying out such an extensive programme of work, but good progress has been made, the majority of work has now been completed, and we’re well on track to complete the programme in the coming weeks.”
