Feedback invited on new road layout

People are invited to share their feedback on a new road layout in Shrewsbury. 

Comments are invited on the newly-opened road layout in the St Julian’s Friars area of the town centre. 

Shropshire Council has been working in partnership with Fletcher Homes to support the completion and recent opening of two new roads, Williams Way and St Julian’s Crescent. They have been built by Fletcher Homes as part of the St Julian’s Friars development site. 

The new roads were opened on Tuesday 18 December 2012.  Traffic is operating in a one-way anti-clockwise direction from Town Walls, past St Julian’s Friars car park, across the junction with St Julian’s Friars and through to the junction next to English Bridge. 

The traffic arrangements have been implemented under an experimental traffic order, the first six months of which are an open consultation period, providing an opportunity to share views on the layout until 18 June 2013. 

Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for transport, said:

“The new layout is aimed at making the St Julian’s Friars area easier for vehicles to access. Drivers no longer need to pass along the narrow section of St Julian’s Friars or have to contend with the blind junction next to the disused toilet block.  It has also been designed to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. 

“To date, we have been very pleased with the performance of the new layout and feedback has been generally positive, with a number of people contacting us with suggested improvements which we have taken on board and some changes have been made to signing on the ground.  

“Drivers have generally responded well to the changes and St Julian’s Friars car park was full throughout the week leading up to Christmas.  

“We will continue to monitor traffic using the roads throughout the consultation period, and are urging people to share their feedback. 

“We would also like to thank the residents of St Julian’s Friars for their patience during the construction of this private development.  We understand that the run-up to Christmas may not have been the ideal time to open the new roads.  However, we were also aware that residents and businesses in the area had waited for a long time for the development to be completed, and we did not want to delay the opening any further.” 

Further improvements are proposed at St Julian’s Friars and lower Wyle Cop, including resurfacing and enhanced crossing facilities.  Initial consultation was carried out on this proposed enhancement scheme in October 2012, during which the ideas were discussed with the town council and other partners.  The response rate was good; more than 100 replies were received, with 80 per cent supporting the scheme and just six per cent not in favour. 

An experimental closure of St Julian’s Friars at Wyle Cop is currently being planned, which will enable council officers to test and assess the proposed enhancement scheme.  Details on this will be publicised in the coming weeks. 

Simon Jones said:

“This proposed enhancement scheme is part of wider ongoing discussions with councillors, Shropshire Council officers and various partners and groups to look at the future traffic and travel arrangements for Shrewsbury town centre, with a view to increasing visitor numbers to the town.  It has been agreed by all involved that an integrated strategy will be drawn up in 2013.” 

Andrew Bannerman, local Shropshire Councillor for Quarry and Coton Hill, added:

“The scheme to enhance St Julian’s Friars and the bottom of Wyle Cop will begin once we are satisfied that the road system is working as well as possible. 

“It will benefit those people who have driven into the town and have parked in the St Julian’s Friars car park, then become pedestrians, and it will assist the residents of the Belle Vue and Coleham areas, who walk or cycle into the town centre. 

“It is also part of our strategy for encouraging visitors and the vibrancy of the town. 

“In the coming weeks, we are keen to hear the views of residents and visitors and those who use this part of town on how the new road system is working for them.” 

To share comments on the new road layout: 

Email: traffic.engineering@shropshire.gov.uk

Write to: Highways and Transport, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ND.