Statement from Shropshire Council and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
Shropshire Council and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service have been working closely together to make sure emergency vehicles can get through the Shrewsbury station gyratory quickly and safely when responding to incidents.
Through regular constructive and open discussions, the Fire Service put forward practical solutions to help crews navigate the bus stop island on Castle Foregate. This has involved using the cycle lane as an emergency vehicle route when needed.
Recent call outs have shown how effective this approach can be. On at least three occasions, fire crews have assessed risk and were able to use the cycle lane to get through heavy congestion around the gyratory in under 60 seconds – a significant improvement when responding to emergency incidents.
Shropshire Council and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service have been working closely together to make sure emergency vehicles can get through the Shrewsbury station gyratory quickly and safely when responding to incidents.
Alongside this immediate solution, the council is checking the position and clearance of the variable message sign to make sure it provides enough space for emergency vehicles. If changes are needed, these can be made, either by adjusting the sign’s position or its orientation.
Both Shropshire Council and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service are committed to ongoing collaboration. By working together and responding to real world experience, we can continue to improve how the gyratory operates and ensure emergency services can reach people as quickly and safely as possible.
Councillor Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for Transport and Economic Growth, said:
“It’s vitally important that our emergency services are able to respond quickly to incidents, especially when there is congestion. I am pleased that by working together we have been able to identify a solution. Moving forwards this must be a key determining factor in Shropshire Council’s decision making related to any future changes.”
Simon Hardiman, Chief Fire Officer for Shropshire, added:
“Working with colleagues at Shropshire Council has enabled improvements to be made to assist the Service when responding to emergency incidents. A critical element of an emergency response is the ability to make safe and effective progress when travelling under blue light conditions through areas of high congestion. The use of the cycle lane for emergency vehicles has been assessed and is proving beneficial in reaching people when they need us the most.”
The station gyratory scheme was funded by the UK Government.
