Key roadworks and delays taking place in Shrewsbury in 2010

A series of important roadworks will be taking place in Shrewsbury in 2010. These works are scheduled to start in January 2010 and will be ongoing until November 2010. As well as works carried out on behalf of Shropshire Council, National Grid and Severn Trent Water will also be undertaking major works.

The majority of these will not require road closures.

Listed below is an early schedule of roadworks. Please note that this timetable could be subject to change. This schedule aims to explain the reasoning behind each set of roadworks and what measures have been put in place to minimise disruption to residents, local businesses and road users.

January 2010

• Spring Gardens, Persimmon Homes site – 11 January 2010

Essential works to build access into the new housing development site on Spring Gardens. This housing development will provide much needed low cost homes for Shrewsbury.

The works are scheduled to start once the Christmas embargo enforced by Shropshire Council finishes. The roadworks co-ordination team has organised the majority of the works to be carried out under traffic signals rather than road closures and has scheduled the works to be completed before the Harlescott Crossroads improvement scheme starts.

Contractors McPhillips will be installing the new mini roundabout and work is expected to start from 11 January 2010 for four to five weeks.

Temporary traffic management should be minimal; however at some point temporary traffic signals will need to be used. Shropshire Council’s Environmental Maintenance teams are also taking the opportunity to carry out a section of road resurfacing to prevent future disruption.

Work to construct the roundabout is in progress at the moment with minimal traffic management. Carriageway surfacing (including maintenance surfacing) is scheduled to be carried out over three Sundays under manual traffic control.

• Frankwell - Connect 2 scheme- 11 January 2010

Works will be starting on 11 January 2010 for three weeks to improve and enhance access on this side of the Welsh Bridge as part of the town centre Connect2 cycleway scheme.

Shropshire Council’s roadworks co-ordination team have scheduled the works to start following the Christmas embargo and before Severn Trent Water sewer improvements commence on The Mount, to minimise disruption in this area of the town.

Traffic management should be minimal; however the co-ordination team will be working closely with Theatre Severn to minimise any disruption.

Works were brought forward due to the explosion on Bridge Street disabling the permanent signals at Frankwell Quay. These are complete.

• Wyle Cop, English Bridge, St Julian’s Friars, Beeches Lane – Gas main replacement works – 10 January 2010

A gas main replacement has been classified as urgent by National Grid with action needed before the end of March 2010, to comply with commitments to the regulators.

A provisional date had been set following the Christmas embargo starting 10 January 2010 with a proposed duration of seven weeks. This was subject to the results of trial holes carried out by National Grid to determine if the replacement can be carried out whilst maintaining two-way traffic flow past the works. The area of replacement is from Marine Terrace to and including part of St Julian’s Friars and will also involve a closure of Beeches Lane / Town Walls for up to two weeks.

A diversion route for through traffic will be signed for the duration of the closure on Beeches Lane via Wyle Cop, High Street, Mardol Head, Shoplatch, Barker Street and Bridge Street.

The essential work will replace an old cast iron main which has been subject to gas escapes over the last few years. This is part of the utility’s programme agreed with OFGEM and the HSE.

Shropshire Council’s co-ordination team had given the scheme an allocated time slot, scheduled to follow the Christmas embargo and avoiding other town centre works and key events during 2010.

Shropshire Council will be continuing to work with the town centre traders to reassure that Shrewsbury is Business as Usual and promote the town.

Following a site meeting on the due start date of 11 January National Grid’s contractors Enterprise decided they could not carry out the mains replacement safely under the temporary traffic management they had first planned. These works will now need to be rescheduled and further trial holes undertaken. The likelihood is that these works will now be programmed to take place during September to avoid the Flower Show and summer season.

February

• The Mount, Shrewsbury- 1 February 2010

Severn Trent Water had applied for a four week closure of The Mount starting on 1 February to carry out an urgent sewer flooding alleviation programme (again to comply with the programme agreed with OFWAT) Richmond Drive and Barracks lane will also be subject to road closures.

A signed diversion route will be in operation for the duration of the closure on The Mount via the B4380 Shelton Road and B4386 Copthorne Road.

Severn Trent Water’s improvements will help to alleviate a long running problem of sewers “backing up” and flooding residents properties in this area.

Shropshire Council’s roadworks co-ordination team had worked with Severn Trent Water to schedule this scheme to take place as soon as possible after the Christmas embargo, due to the essential nature of the works. The teams have also ensured that works on the Connect 2 Frankwell scheme will not be happening during these flood works, to ensure that disruption on key routes into the town centre are minimised.

These works have now been cancelled by Severn Trent Water until further notice.

• Coton Hill Gas main replacement – 22 February 2010

This is an urgent gas main replacement scheme to replace an old cast iron main between Berwick Road and Janes Place, which again is part of the utility’s programme agreed with OFGEM and the HSE.

Shropshire Council’s roadworks co-ordination team has worked with National Grid to ensure that work on Coton Hill starts after the works on Spring Gardens are completed, but before the Harlescott Crossroads improvement works start.

Following the results of a trial hole to determine the exact location the gas main, National Grid’s contractors Enterprise have planned these works to be carried out under three way temporary traffic signals for the majority of the work.

• Berwick Road / Coton Hill – new traffic signals – 22 February 2010

This improvement will provide a safer route for pedestrians and vehicles at this junction and residents have been asking for this for some time. Wherever possible, Shropshire Council is taking the opportunity to co-ordinate this scheme with the gas main replacement works and hopefully minimise future disruption to road users.

All ducting work which requires full road width excavations will be tied in with the planned traffic management for the gas main replacement. National Grid will also replace a further length of old main which runs under the proposed new footway build out, in order to reduce future works in the new road surface.

Further work to alter existing kerb lines and install new signal heads will continue after National Grid has completed and will be under traffic signals or stop and go boards.

A road closure for up to two Sundays in March will be required in order to carry out carriageway resurfacing and application of anti-skid high friction surfacing. A signed diversion route will be in operation via : A528 Ellesmere Road; A5124 Battlefield link road; A5112 Battlefield Road; Whitchurch Road; A5191 Ditherington Road; Spring Gardens; Castle Foregate;A528 Chester Street; Coton Hill & vice versa

To coincide as much as possible with National Grid’s main replacement scheme.

March

• Coton Hill gas main replacement to continue
• Berwick Road / Coton Hill – new traffic signals to continue

• A458 Shelton Road / Welshpool Road junction – refurbishment

Work to refurbish the existing signals at this location due to commence from 1 March 2010 under lane closures where necessary and with temporary four way signals installed.

April

• Welsh Bridge / Smithfield Road / Bridge Street – Connect 2 scheme- April 2010

These works will improve and enhance pedestrian and cycle access on this side of the Welsh Bridge as part of the town centre Connect 2 cycleway scheme. The general public voted for Connect 2 funding from the Big Lottery.

Shropshire Council’s roadworks co-ordination team had scheduled these works to follow on from works on the Frankwell side of Welsh Bridge (January 2010) and to avoid the West End Regeneration works and Shrewsbury Summer season events. The teams will also ensure that this improvement / enhancement work will take into account how busy the area is and any works that involve lane closures will take place outside of main trading hours and busy traffic periods.

Shropshire Council is also taking the opportunity to resurface Welsh Bridge, to minimise future disruption. The work will be programmed with the Connect2 works and will be done overnight to reduce disruption

Works for this section have been scheduled to start on 6 April 2010 until 14 May 2010. Due to budgetary constraints work on this project must start before the end of March 2010.

Some aspects of this scheme will now need to be brought forward following the explosion in Bridge Street which destroyed the signal controller infrastructure and be carried out during February (new four way traffic signal controllers to be installed). If feasible all Connect2 works will be completed during February.

• Harlescott Crossroads – 6 April 2010

Shropshire Council will be carrying out work to alter kerb alignments, replace existing splitter islands and resurface the junction at Harlescott Crossroads. Work is expected to start after Easter 2010 for approximately 21 weeks.

After major commercial development in this area over the last few years, it is hoped these works will improve and update the whole crossroads and create a safer / better environment at a main gateway into Shrewsbury.

The council appreciates the volume of traffic that passes through these crossroads and will ensure that wherever possible any work which involves road or lane closures will take place at night or out of traffic sensitive hours. The roadworks co-ordination team will also aim to keep other arterial routes into the town free of works for the duration.

The left turn lane from Whitchurch Road onto Harlescott Lane (outside Lidl’s) will be closed for the duration of the works & a local signed diversion route will be available via Battlefield Road, the A5124 Battlefield Link Road & Battlefield Way.

May

• Harlescott Crossroads works continuing until 27 August 2010

June

• West End Regeneration works

Shropshire Council will be carrying out an improvement scheme to enhance and regenerate the west end of Shrewsbury town centre and improve the traffic flow. This work will involve changing the flow of traffic and carrying out the associated kerb, footway and junction realignments. High quality York Stone paving is also being used.

Work is expected to start on 7 June 2010 and end on 29 October 2010 and will focus on Bridge Street, Barker Street, St Austin’s Friars and Lower Claremont Bank. There may be significant utility service diversions to take into account. Again Shropshire Council will be taking into account the need to keep traffic flowing at these key locations.

Morris Properties also have plans to develop the old taxi rank area of Barker Street / Claremont Street during 2010. In order to minimise any disruption to pedestrians and traffic, Shropshire Council and Morris Properties will be co-ordinating both schemes together.

Shropshire Council has postponed the West End Regeneration works.

Given the volume of works taking place in Shrewsbury during 2010, this will benefit the program of works and hopefully reduce any disruption to motorists and trade during 2010.

• Hazledine Way footbridge replacement works

These works are scheduled to commence on 1 June for up to two weeks until Sunday 13 June under temporary signals. An overnight closure will be required for two nights

• Harlescott Crossroads works continuing until 27 August 2010

• Shrewsbury Carnival, wherever possible all traffic management is removed.

• West Mid Show, wherever possible all traffic management is removed.
  

July

• Harlescott Crossroads works continuing until 27 August 2010
• Quarry Concerts (not confirmed)
  

August

• Harlescott Crossroads continuing until 27 August 2010

• Shropshire Council insists on an embargo for the Flower Show. Wherever possible all traffic management is removed.

September

• Street Theatre Festival, wherever possible all traffic management is removed

October

None planned at present.

November

• Shropshire Council insists on a Christmas embargo on all works requiring traffic management on traffic sensitive roads

December

• Shropshire Council insists on a Christmas embargo on all works requiring traffic management on traffic sensitive roads

Shrewsbury Flooding Update 19 January

Flood information update – 19 January 2010

Sydney Avenue, Castlefields, Shrewsbury has now been reopened.

The road between Cross Houses and Atcham has now been reopened.

Shropshire Council would like to advise that Frankwell Main Car Park in Shrewsbury has now reopened.

Frankwell Riverside Car Park has been partially reopened, however the Environment Agency is still occupying the area.

All other surface car parks in Shrewsbury remain open (including Abbey Foregate and St Julian’s Friars car parks) and the Park and Ride sites will also continue to operate. A return ticket on Park and Ride costs £1.20.

Roads closed due to flooding

Chilton Farm Lane, Atcham

Gravel Hill Lane, Nr West Mid Showground, Shrewsbury

Shropshire Council’s officers are closely monitoring Environment Agency flood level guidance, and are working to reopen the roads as soon as it is safe to do so.

The council has also been carrying out additional street cleaning to clear away any silt and debris on the roads affected by floodwater.

Further information will be made available through the media and on Shropshire Council’s website at www.shropshire.gov.uk People can also use the council’s webcams to view the car parks at www.shropshire.gov.uk/webcams.nsf

You Can Never Trust a Lib Dem

The local Lib Dems will say anything to win an election.

Every General Election the Lib Dems try and mislead the voters of Shrewsbury & Atcham by claiming that it is a two horse race and only they can beat the Tories here. Yet each election their claims are shown to be utterly false. They have never won this seat in modern times, their last victory was in 1923

The last three General Election results show Labour have polled the most votes in Shrewsbury & Atcham-Shrewsbury is not a Tory Town despite what others might say

Only Labour have ever beaten the Tories here. Yet each election the Lib Dems wheel out the same tired old claims-look at what they claimed in the last 3 General Elections and compare these to the actual results.

1997

Lib Dems Claims Vs Actual Results

• Labour WIN Lib   Dems third • Labour  won Shrewsbury for the first time ever

• Labour saved Shrewsbury from the disgraced Tory MP Derek Conway, the father of the MP’s expenses scandal

2001

Lib Dems Claims Vs Actual Results

•Labour WIN Lib Dems third

• Labour increased their majority

and polled over 22,000 votes• Lib Dem vote collapsed to just above 6,000, showing how wrong their claims were

2005

Lib Dems Claims Vs Actual Results

Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate List 2010

Unsure of your Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate? – Browse by constituency here.

This page contains every Labour PPC (by Constituency) along with biographies, links to their websites and other information about their constituency, parliamentary activities and local campaigns.

If you live in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency, it would be myself whom is the candidate.

Shrewsbury Explosion Delays Update 05 Jan

Roads are being reopened in Shrewsbury town centre as quickly as possible following the explosion on the corner of Bridge Street and Smithfield Road on Sunday (3 January).

Shropshire Council’s Guildhall offices are experiencing computer and telephone problems, which means some services are currently unavailable, and engineers are working to fix the problem as soon as possible.

Park and ride services are operating, as are most bus services, and the message is that Shrewsbury remains open for business, despite some road closures.

Wyle Cop and High Street are now open, and drivers are asked to follow diversion signs which will be regularly updated when other roads open.

Bridge Street, Barker Street, Welsh Bridge, Mardol, and Victoria Quay remain closed. Smithfield Road is open to traffic from the direction of the railway station as far as Roushill for people to access Raven Meadows car park.

Some routes above may be opened to pedestrian access starting 6 January

Park and ride services are operating as normal but will use alternative drop and pick up points in the town centre.

Car parks in the Barker Street area are closed, but all other town centre car parks – including Raven Meadows, Frankwell and St Julian’s Friars – are open.

Tim Sneddon, Shropshire Council’s head of environmental maintenance, said: “We are determined to get the centre of Shrewsbury moving again as soon as we can, but the safety of the public must be our main priority. Roads will be opened as quickly as possible, but there is a lot of cleaning up to do in the Bridge Street area following the explosion. It is likely that the Welsh Bridge and Bridge Street itself will remain closed for the next day or two.

“However, we are keen to stress that Shrewsbury is still open for business. The majority of car parks are open and bus services are running, including the park and ride. The situation is being closely monitored and we will let people know when more roads are able to reopen.”

Theatre Severn, which had some minor damage caused by the explosion, does not have any scheduled performances until next Friday (15 January) and the bar and restaurant is open as normal.

The Quarry Fitness and Swimming Centre is open as normal.

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