Oswestry A5 roundabout scheme on show for first time

Council chiefs said they were hopeful the months of work won't cause the traffic chaos seen this week on another roundabout further along the A5 at Shrewsbury.

The work at the A5 Mile End roundabout in Oswestry will lead to the creation of a new business park and thousands of new jobs, Shropshire Council says.

Motorists faced delays further along the A5 earlier this week after workmen descended on Shrewsbury's Preston Boats island to install traffic lights.

Council bosses say highways chiefs have been working hard to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum so the hold-ups seen at Shrewsbury are not repeated at Oswestry.

Shropshire Council was holding an exhibition at Oswestry Memorial Hall today and tomorrow on the Mile End plans so people can see the plans in detail, and work is expected to start on July 1 and be completed in the winter.

The exhibition will run from 9am to 8pm each day.

Councillor Joyce Barrow, Shropshire Councillor for St Oswald, said: "I am hoping for as little disruption as possible, and hope that any impact on tourism and businesses will be minimal.

"Oswestry will still be very accessible and open for business even while the roadworks take place."

To minimise disruption, the majority of work will be carried out during the night, from 6.30pm to 7am, with the possibility of some daytime working during off-peak periods only.All traffic management will be removed from the highway network completely over the August Bank Holiday.

Claire Wild, Shropshire Council's Cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "I would urge anyone interested to come along to the public exhibition to see the plans for themselves.

"There will be representatives from Shropshire Council, Amey and EM Highways on hand to answer any queries, so it will be a very useful event.

"Council highways officers have been working closely with the contractors and the Highways Agency to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum."

The scheme forms part of the Highways Agency's 'pinch point' scheme, which is intended to deliver smaller scale improvements to the strategic road network.

In this case, the Mile End roundabout will be increased in size and a sixth arm added, which is intended to open up access to a proposed business park.

Construction of the first phase of the business park development, comprising of roads and infrastructure works, is scheduled to start over the coming two years, subject to funding.

The cost of the work is being funded by the Highways Agency.

Keith Barrow, Shropshire Council Leader, said the work would bring forward plans for thousands of new jobs into the Oswestry area.

He said although some traffic disruption was expected, he hoped people will be able to appreciate the long-term benefits that the scheme will bring to the area.