Sensors to be replaced at Shrewsbury road junctions

Precautionary work is to be carried out at five junctions in Shrewsbury to replace sensors that activate the traffic signals by detecting vehicles as they approach.

The detectors are located in the road surface at Harlescott Crossroads, Welsh Bridge, Frankwell Quay junction, Shelton junction and Berwick Road.

The ‘Clearview’ sensors use a wireless Bluetooth technology that sends a signal from a pod installed in the carriageway back to the signal controller.

However, the manufacturers have identified a potential fault with a batch of the pods.  As a precaution, they have therefore agreed to replace all sensors at these junctions, at their own expense, to avoid the possibility of problems in the future.

In total, 63 pods will be replaced at these five junctions.

To minimise disruption to traffic, work will be carried out on Sundays – starting on 13 March 2011 – and at off-peak times on weekdays, and will involve the use of ‘stop and go’ boards.

Councillor Martin Taylor-Smith, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and IT, said:

“This precautionary work will help to prevent the possibility of problems at these junctions in the future.  I am pleased that Clearview have identified a potential fault at this stage, and that they will be replacing the sensors at no cost to the council.  I hope that work will be carried out as quickly as possible and that disruption will be kept to a minimum.”

As there is no need for cables, the Clearview technology reduces the likelihood of subsequent roadworks causing damage to the sensors.

A battery in a pod should last in excess of eight years without any drain on the mains power supply. The pods are easily removed for replacement of batteries or when work is being carried out to the road surface.