‘Catastrophic’ Shrewsbury roadworks delayed for two weeks
Friday 16th July 2010, 12:22PM BST.
Work on a £1.4 million improvement scheme to make a road in Shrewsbury safer which has already had a “catastrophic” effect on business will be delayed by a further two weeks, transport bosses said today.
The programme at Harlescott crossroads was due to run until August 27 but will now be extended after a large water main was discovered on the corner of Whitchurch Road and Harlescott Lane.
Work began in April to improve the safety of the crossroads, close to the site where 14-year-old Ben Somers lost his life in October 2008.
But the scheme has already caused problems for some with Steve Salmon, a partner at Bedsenz, in Whitchurch Road, last month claiming it had had a “catastrophic” impact on sales.
Shropshire Council today tried to re-assure motorists and business owners.
Laura Owen, spokeswoman for the council, said: “The work is progressing well and, due to careful planning and 24-hour monitoring, it’s causing a lot less inconvenience than originally thought.
“Within the last few weeks, a ]water main has been discovered on the corner of Whitchurch Road and Harlescott Lane. It’s under the pavement, but because the road is to be widened it would result in the main being too close to the surface of the road.
“The council has been working closely with Severn Trent Water and is proposing to protect the pipe. This means that the work will take an additional two weeks to complete.”
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£1.4million …. OMG …… iv only ever seen 4 men there at the most working … they must be paid a fortune
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Don’t worry, I am sure the penalty clause’s written into the contracts for not finishing on time will more than cover your losses.
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The recipe for chaos at this junction was set when the planners put huge Tesco, Lidl and B&Q stores in place of a pub, cattle market and car showroom respectively. At the same time much of the Whitchurch road was narrowed to accommodate cycle paths which are scarcely used. As for the works being extended because a “large water main was discovered”, did no-one consult Severn Trent before work started? I agree with Tim Davies-Moss above, Whatever time you pass the site there seems to be very little work going on. Lots of blokes with yellow jackets just standing around. Very irritating for local businesses and the bus and car passengers caught up in this debacle.
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“a large water main was discovered on the corner of Whitchurch Road and Harlescott Lane”!!! Are they joking? This crossroads has been completely redeveloped twice in the last three years already not to mention months of work replacing sewers in tha area about 18 months ago. How incredibly inept are the planners that they only “discover” a water main now!
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The road planners did their worste in Telford now I guess it’s Shrewsbury’s turn.
It amazes me these people get away with making the roads worse them they were and they call it “improvements”.
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