MP demands meeting over Shrewsbury road closure
Tuesday 15th June 2010, 11:07AM BST.
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski is demanding a meeting with highway chiefs to grill them over their response to a lorry fire which caused chaos for county motorists.
Traffic was brought to a standstill on Friday when the westbound section of the A5 on the outskirts of Shrewsbury was shut following the fire which engulfed a lorry and trailer carrying hay.
The incident happened just before 5am at the Emstrey Island and took until 1.30pm to clear.
Mr Kawczynski said he was “extremely concerned” and had called for the community to challenge the Highways Agency.
He said: “It was terribly unsatisfactory and I’m extremely unsatisfied and concerned with the impact it had on Shrewsbury.
“We need to understand the ramifications of closing certain roads, inevitably it will happen again and I don’t want the whole of Shrewsbury cocooned.”
Nathan Wallis, spokesman for the Highways Agency, said: “We look forward to receiving Mr Kawczynski’s letter regarding the HGV fire and will respond as soon as we can.”
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There was this Lorry and it caught fire and because fire is very hot and dangerous, the Highway chiefs had to stop the traffic.
Seriously mr Kawthingy, if you want to know what happened buy a paper..
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good on him. it is absolutely rediculous that in the 21st century one small incident can bring utter chaos to the entire town and surrounding roads. these people need a good shaking!
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my biggest question is why didnt the police/highways agency close Wellington/Tesco junction or at least warn motorists before they got on. Would of helped clear it alot quicker. Or for local radio to mention traffic problems more often then every 30 mins
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seriously, the position of the closer, just look at the pictures it is in the middle of a island, closing to approaches on to said island,
personally nobody is to blame on this, unfortunately, due to the nature of the incident lorry load of HAY on FIRE, the highways had no choice but to close the road, the fire service that dealt with the fire did it in the quickest possible time they could to make it safe,
what does everyone want the fire services to put the flames out and recovery to tow it away, just so it can start again from a small patch smoldering in the middle somewhere
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Closing the B5061 (the old A5) didn’t help the situation any. The lorry fire was past this junction. Traffic could have exited the M54 at Junction 7 travelled along the B5061 and with some assistance from Traffic Police gone the wrong way around the roundabout up Theives Lane allowing the traffic the rejoin the carrigeway. Closing the A5 exit at Preston Roundabout was just ridiculous. As I have mentioned in other postings on this site Options were available but none considered, Health & Safety gone mad again. Tow the lorry into the field less than 20 metres away and deal with it there.Poor Show.
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That’s good idea Steve, set fire to surrounding fields and woodland and cause a fire on a scale of an Australian bush fire
Doh!
So you were all late for work, international disaster, quick alert the UN Peace Keeping forces!
It was one incident on one day, get over it, sometimes no-one is to blame
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