Shropshire Star

More misery for drivers as Shrewsbury A5 roadworks enter next phase

Roundabout roadworks at Shrewsbury that have caused 10 days of rush-hour disruption were ending today – but motorists were warned that there is more misery to come.

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The next phase of the £3.8 million improvements to the Preston Boats and Emstrey Islands on the A5 is about to start.

It means the roadworks will simply shift to a new location nearby, causing a new headache for motorists.

And there will be no end to the nightmare for motorists until around December, with traffic cones not being lifted until Christmas.

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An overnight closure of the eastbound carriageway between 7.30pm and 7am will run until the end of the month and drivers have been told to expect more daytime disruption too.

The warning comes after almost a fortnight of frustration for motorists using the busy A5, one of the main routes in the county.

Motorists have been stuck in half hour delays as queues stretched for miles around both roundabouts, near Shrewsbury, and the surrounding diversions.

Re-routes saw miles of queues along the B5061, which is known as the old A5, between 8am and 9am yesterday and again in the afternoon rush-hour.

Congestion also built up around both roundabouts.

Lanes on the A5 were narrowed by cones on the approaches to the roundabouts and a 50mph speed limit was in force.

Officials at the Highways Agency had warned motorists to expect delays of up to 30 minutes on the route until yesterday.

Work on the two islands is expected to run until the start of December at the earliest, and officials today insisted the roadworks remain "on track".

Work to lay down the base of the A5 westbound as well as Emstrey Bank has been completed.

And Monday will see another week of work, this time starting on the eastbound carriageway.

The Highways Agency says motorists will reap the benefits of an improved road system once they are completed.

But the upheaval means a headache for thousands of frustrated motorists heading across the county every day – as well as business leaders attempting to carry on trading.

Tony Bywater, chairman of Salop Leisure, near to the Emstrey Island, says the works are causing customers to avoid that area of Shrewsbury.

"It's definitely affecting business," he said.

"I am sure that all the publicity about the rush hour delays is keeping a lot of people away.

"The traffic is moving along nicely around the roundabout the rest of the time, but rush hour is a real problem."

A Highways Agency spokesman said that the roadworks were about to start a new phase.

He said: "We will be closing the A5 eastbound from the A458 and a section of the roundabout all week to continue works on the central splitter island between Preston and Emstrey."

The spokesman warned drivers to expect further delays and said if they could not use another route they should leave more time for their journey between Monday and September 22.

An overnight closure of the eastbound carriageway between 7.30pm and 7am will also be put into operation until the end of the month.

The A5 eastbound full closure from Emstrey to Preston Island and Preston Island to the M54 Junction 7 will divert traffic down the B4380. It will rejoin the M54 at Junction 7.

The A49 will remain open in both directions.

The roadworks aren't the only headache for motorists in the county. The A458 linking Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth has been closed for two weeks for resurfacing work.

The project had already been delayed by more than four months due to contractual issues.

Diversions have been put in place around country lanes in the area.

Both Shropshire councillor David Turner, who represents Much Wenlock, and Lucy Price, manager of the Plume of Feathers pub in Harley, have said the work on the route is essential.

One of the reasons cited for carrying out the work was the death of a 24-year-old Alfred John Sergeant, from Bristol, on the route in December 2012 following a collision with a tanker.

What is happening:

  • The Emstrey and Preston Boats scheme on the A5 is aimed at improving the layout of both islands with traffic lights to ease congestion, especially at peak times.

  • It will introduce “free flow” lanes on the A5 westbound and A49 to A5 eastbound arms, removing a significant volume of traffic from the junction.

  • Work at Preston Boats junction will retain the existing roundabout and introduce signals at all approaches. These will be “smart” signals that read the demands of traffic on the junction approaches and alter timings automatically.

  • Emstrey island will see several approaches widened and the widening of the island itself to provide three lanes with traffic lights.

  • From Monday the Highways Agency will be closing the A5 eastbound from the A458 and a section of the roundabout all week to continue works on the central splitter island between Preston and Emstrey.

  • An overnight closure of the eastbound carriageway between 7.30pm and 7am will be in place until the end of the month.

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