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Motorists faced rush-hour hold-ups today as dozens of vehicles were caught in tailbacks as roadworks took place on one of Telford’s busiest roads.
Work northbound on the A5223 Whitchurch Drive started on Saturday and today, as drivers took to the road for the first working day, they were brought to a halt.
One motorist travelling from the Tesco direction to Ketley said: “It did not make clear early enough which road was closed. Drivers were then cutting back into the Ketley Lane after finding at the last minute that Whitchurch Drive was closed. Cars were backed up as far as Tesco.”
Drivers faced diversions via Bennetts Bank and the Bucks Head in Wellington.
The southbound carriageway will remain open for traffic travelling from the direction of Furrows Island towards the retail park and the M54.
The work, expected to take 10 days, is aimed at improving traffic flow around Ketley Brook roundabout.
A second lane is being added to the southbound approach to the roundabout, which has been at the centre of complaints about delays and congestion since eight sets of traffic lights and four pedestrian crossings were installed in September last year.
Laura Taylor, for the council, said: “Officers from the council’s traffic management team will be visiting Ketley Brook roundabout this morning to work with contractors to make any necessary amendments to signage.”
* A man was taken to hospital after an accident on the M54 today. He was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital with suspected whiplash.
The accident, involving one car, happened on the westbound carriageway of the motorway between junctions four for Shifnal and five for Telford town centre, shortly before 5.40am.
Ambulance spokesman Murray McGregor said a 36-year-old man had been treated for back pain after his car hit the central reservation.
Check out our weekly roadworks report here.
By Kirsty Marston
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6 Comments
I noticed today that they’re also digging up the big roundabout at the top end of The Rock, (The opposite end of Colliers Way to Sainsbury’s). No reason appears to have been given, and if it continues beyond half term it’ll cause chaos next week.
And what will be the benefit to the much-taxed motorist?
Nothing, as usual…
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The councilor in charge of the creation of congestion has got his way way and we have another massive mistake by the council. First of all they put traffice lights on the roundabout and stopped cars using Haybridge Road from Hadley to Wellington and now they will cause traffice chaos for the next two weeks.
They should bite the bullet and take down the traffic lights and let cars use Haybrigde Road again.
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There just seems to be cones blocking off perfectly usuable roads all over Telford. I understand that they are required to be coned off when work is being done but come on, at the moment, there are just lanes all over the place blocked off for no visible or apparent reason!
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The council should accept they made a mistake and return the roads to their original configuration. Remove the traffic lights, get rid of the dangerous and ridiculous islands in the middle of roads, and work towards improving traffic flow instead of impeding it.
The only places in Telford where we have congestion is where the council has “improved” the roads.
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Except that they aren’t trying to improve the roads, they are trying to discourage cars and make things safer and easier for pedestrians.
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I live right by the Ketley Brook island and a few times we have had powercuts which has also affected the lights, I’ve noticed that when the lights are not on due to powercuts the traffic flows better around the Island. TAKE THEM DOWN!
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