Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Dave Burrows
Letter: A rest from roadworks
Tuesday 30th March 2010, 8:00AM BST.
Letter: Isn’t it about time Shrewsbury had a rest from roadworks?
Every trader I speak to is suffering from a loss of trade. Our guests are complaining that they can’t find their way round the town.
The town is still suffering the aftermath of the gas explosion. More than two months to get a set of traffic lights working surely has to be a record.
In the past we have had too many road “improvement” schemes to mention. Have any of them delivered significant improvement? Not really. The Dogpole looks little different to before, the Telford Way cycle path is hardly used, Shelton traffic lights were a missed opportunity, and Coton Hill traffic lights are the mess to look forward to.
It seems at times that every road has traffic lights or roadworks. Shouldn’t we be trying to make it easier for people to get to Shrewsbury?
Shrewsbury has been trying to attract tourists and, in fact, needs a certain amount of new visitors to replace the ones that we lose, because people get fed up. It is not attractive to spend your leisure time sitting in endless roadworks and then get charged three times the going rate to park your car.
I am suggesting a complete break from all but essential repairs for at least one year to give the town time to recover, otherwise I see the day where the lights are all on but there is nobody here.
Mr J Good
Shrewsbury
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Traders answer seems to be to stop paying their business rates due to increased car parking charges Not How do we attract more tourists so this letter is a change from the rest however for every business that is suffering i can find one who is doing well .
The road works/improvments do need to be done. Shrewsbury is no different to any other town who are going or do go through the same process every year , granted gas explosion was an issue but not now.
Calling for a halt to all road works etc for a year in the simple terms stores it up for the next year no benefit what so ever.
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just thank your lucky stars that you are getting roadworks done up there, sounds to me like some ungrateful traders who moan about everything. either shut up shop or smell the coffee. anyone for a cone!
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Again, Whitchurch Road is to undergo road works for 20 weeks and Sundorne road has only just been re opened after road works, every where you go at the minute there are works going on, are they just making peoples life a total nightmare, the thought of Whitchurch Road being shut again is unbearable.
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Well said Mr Good
To be honest the planning of the road works has been diabolical. Roadworks at Coton Hill, Sundorne Road, Castle Gates, Smithfield Road, Monkmoor Road and Ditherington Road all at the same time. Which numptee planned that??
The highways maintenance team at the council need to hang their heads in shame. There is a saying about a brewery and getting drunk?? This more than applies to the planners at Shirehall.
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I’m not looking forward to the TWENTY WEEKS of works at the Harlescott crossroads as indicated by the council’s signs in the vicinity. 20 weeks to resurface 200m of road and add some cycle lanes?
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I would imagine that 20 weeks of lane closures is probably far less disruptive than completely shutting the junction all together for 4 week or so.
Re Welsh Bridge, it wasnt 8 weeks to get the traffic lights working again. The council took the opportunity to bring forward the Cycle Shrewsbury works while the road was closed to prevent any further closures happening. It seems to look quite a bit different to how it was before the explosion.
I also think its better to do this now than in summer when it is the height of the tourist season. Id hate it if the good work put in making the town look so nice in the summer months was ruined by roadworks.
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Our Hihways Department is obviously grossly over-staffed; their budget is far too high; they appear to have little concern for people and where on earth do they get their money from ?? Us ?? Shropshire Council should reduce their budget.
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Take the traders comments with a pinch of salt, what do you expect them to say – that the works have been good for business?
A close relative of mine works for the town car parks and they have not seen a reduction in visitor numbers or revenue. So if this is the case then either people are still visiting the town but not bothering to visit the shops or the town traders are milking the situation for their own ends!
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The roadsigns said 8 weeks at Ford recently and they did it in 3. I suspect the contractors early completion is a cunning council ploy designed to impress and placate. Probably more like 8/10 than 20 I suggest for you Harlescott folk. Well..let’s hope so.
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Shrewsbury people never fail to amaze , Contractors finish early its a ploy,never ever any positive thinking such as the problems they thought they may have encountered did not happen etc etc . On the parking issue I was in stratford the other day same level of car parking charges if not a little higher plus traffic jams, chester Monday exactly the same . LessMoaning and more positive thinking/action I say.
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i tried to park in shrewsbury once never again
when in the area we use park and ride you have one at the corners of town and they are eccelent
vfm
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Sounds to me like the Shrewsbury Traders want to blame anything from Tesco to car parking charges for poor trade when what they really need to be thinking about is do i sell stuff that people actually want to buy..
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