The final phase of work in the Shrewsbury station gyratory area is now underway, with work due to be completed by 7 November [2025].
Additional traffic sensors were installed on Chester Street on 2 October, with an upgrade to the traffic light software being carried out on 6 October – which is helping to ease congestion in the area. A sophisticated traffic signal control system called MOVA – Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation – is now in place. MOVA uses vehicle sensors and wireless technology to continuously assess traffic conditions and adjust signal timings, minimizing delays – and allows the lights to be synced.
From today (Monday 20 October) green surfacing is being laid on the cycleway that runs from the station to Meadow Place – with green surfacing to be laid on the cycleway at Howard Street and the entrance/exit to the railway station on 27 October. This type of work is weather dependant and date changes are possible.
The lining and demarcation bollards for the cycleway from the station to Meadow Place is due to be completed by 4 November.
And the lining and demarcation bollards for the cycleway that continues up Castle Gates are due to be in place by 7 November, along with a new loading bay.
Snagging and remedial works are currently underway including replacing paving on Castle Foregate that was damaged during the National Grid cable laying operations.
Meanwhile Network Rail is set to carry out further work under the railway bridge to help prevent pigeons from roosting and fouling. The initial work undertaken in August was to tidy up the mess made by the pigeons and wash down the tunnel walls, with wire mesh installation to follow. This work has been scheduled for mid-November but Shropshire Council is waiting for more detail from Network Rail as the bridge owners.
Alex Wagner, deputy Leader of Shropshire Council and councillor for Quarry and Coton Hill, said:
“We completely understand the concerns about the bus stop as part of this scheme, something that was agreed under the previous administration.
“Options are going to be assessed now with an eye to taking action as soon as the work that we’re obliged to carry out has been completed. I’m always cautious of seemingly simple solutions to complex issues, and every action has a major knock-on here. For example, it will remain important for bus passengers to be able to access the station.
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“Our cross-party scrutiny committee has been asked to look at both the history of the scheme itself and to monitor issues, which the Chair has agreed to bring to their November meeting. They will make recommendations about this and also about similar schemes“The scheme is funded by the last government’s Levelling Up Fund and undoing work or cancelling it would mean handing back the grant funding, which has already been spent, and incurring more costs in undoing the work. This is money that we don’t have.
“That said, initial monitoring has shown that journeys from the north of Shrewsbury towards Smithfield Road have slightly improved by using Chester Street. We would also recommend that drivers check live traffic data before making journeys as the fastest route may not be the same as it was before the work, and it may in fact be quicker to use the internal bypass or the A5 rather than driving through the town centre.”
