Shrewsbury remains open for business
Shropshire Council is carefully co-ordinating a number of road schemes in Shrewsbury town centre to limit disruption and ensure that they are all complete before the busy Christmas period.
A mixture of council, utilities and Network Rail schemes, some of these are currently taking place and some are due to start over the new few weeks. However, the town will remain open for business as usual.
Where possible, work is taking place overnight or on the same stretch of road at the same time. Also, measures are being put in place to reduce congestion, such as changing traffic signal timings and increased signage.
Current and future schemes in the town include:
Shrewsbury northern gateway
Phase one of the council’s scheme to enhance the environment of Shrewsbury’s northern gateway began last month and work is going well. Essential night time and Sunday closures of Cross Street are planned for the weekends of 3 November 2012 and 10 November 2012.
Bridge improvements in Castle Foregate
Network Rail is currently carrying out improvement work to the bridge in Castle Foregate involving a 24-hour lane closure over the next few weeks.
Removal of the pedestrian refuge on Smithfield Road
Work to remove the pedestrian refuge on Smithfield Road will be carried out over a three day period starting on Monday 15 October 2012, and will involve a closure of Smithfield Road overnight from 7.30pm each night (the road is expected to reopen by 6am each morning). Traffic will be diverted onto Roushill and Raven Meadows, both of which will be temporarily made two-way.
The council is using this opportunity to co-ordinate other works to take place at the same time on the same stretch of road. These include highway remedial work (following the recent highway improvement scheme around the junction of Raven Meadows) and a sewer connection scheme to be carried out by contractors for the new hotel on Smithfield Road.
Work to resurface the Welsh Bridge
National Grid Gas will carry out work to resurface the Welsh Bridge on Saturday 20 October 2012 and Sunday 21 October 2012. This is the final reinstatement of the road following their mains replacement scheme.
Whilst the works take place, the bridge will be closed from 7.30pm on Saturday 20 October until 11am on Sunday 21 October, and again on Sunday 21 October after 5pm. The bridge will be reopened at the latest by 6am Monday 22 October 2012. A signed diversion route will be in place for the duration of the road closure.
Access into and out of the theatre will remain in place for the two performances over the weekend.
Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for highways, said:
“Throughout these improvement works access to the town centre during the main shopping and trading times will remain available and shops, car parks, buses and Park and Ride will be open and running as normal. If you want to visit the town, please do, but if you just want to go through you may want to use an alternative route.
“Once these works are all complete they will help to contribute to the attractiveness of the town. This, alongside our already successful ‘the original one-off’ branding, will highlight Shrewsbury as a significant, nationally-recognised destination for visitors, and this can only boost our economy and create jobs.”
