Shrewsbury's Wyle Cop still shut but set to reopen after roadworks misery

The thoroughfare has been closed to traffic while roadworks are completed but council officers said they were hopeful that contractors would finish work on later today. The route remained closed off this morning.

Shropshire Council contractors have been working on the street to install a speed hump and in a bid to make Shrewsbury more pedestrian-friendly a 20mph speed limit will be introduced.

The work is part of a wider scheme which involves the re-paving of pavements, minor highway drainage, kerb realignment and the installation of a zebra crossing on Beeches Lane, as a replacement for the existing pelican crossing.

Two speed humps have been installed – one in Beeches Lane and one at the bottom of Wyle Cop.

The enhancement scheme is designed to lower vehicle speeds and improve the junction for pedestrians, as well as making it easier for vehicles to access businesses for loading.

Only one road closed at a time, starting with Beeches Lane which closed on Monday, June 2, and reopened on June 30.

Beeches Lane was originally hoped to reopen by June 20, but unforeseen problems with drainage meant that work needed to continue into the following week.

Work on Wyle Cop was pushed back and the road was expected to be closed from June 30 for up to two weeks.

Once Wyle Cop reopens, work on St Julian's Friars will get under way and the street will be closed for two days.

But the scheme has come under fire from former town mayor Jon Tandy, who said it had been ill thought-through and not enough public consultation had taken place, with extra traffic being diverted on to Town Walls, creating huge jams.

However, leader of Shrewsbury Town Council Alan Mosley said it was irresponsible to criticise the scheme before it had been completed.

Shropshire Councillor Claire Wild, cabinet member for highways, has said work was due to finish today.