Roadworks nightmare for Shrewsbury roundabout family

Adam and Sarah Franklin and their two boys Leo, six, and Jake, four, live in The Bungalow next to the Emstrey Island on the A5.

The £4.6 million Highway Agency improvement works there and at the Preston Boats Island began in June and are not expected to end until December.

The family say they are losing sleep due to the overnight roadworks.

"It's just horrendous," said Mr Franklin, 34. "I sent a letter of complaint to the Highways Agency back in August but I haven't had any correspondence back."

The disruption has seen drivers stuck in 30-minute delays through rush hour as queues stretch for miles around both roundabouts.

But the tailbacks during the work and school runs are the least of the problem for the Franklins who say when the night falls and the traffic clears loud machinery starts up, vibrations begin and bright lights shine into their house.

The pair have had to move sons Leo, six, and Jake, four, out of the glare of the spotlights and into their bedroom as the youngsters were unable to sleep.

And Mr Franklin, 32, who suffered a collapsed lung in July is not able to get the rest doctors ordered.

He said: "We live in The Bungalow right on the Emstrey roundabout and the overnight works are a nightmare. The noise, the vibrations, the lights – we've had to swap bedrooms with the kids. But now we are in the back bedroom it's so lit up that at 3am you could read a newspaper without needing to turn the light on.

"It sounds like heavy machinery and chainsaws outside my window. You can hear the workmen shouting to one another and tarmac lorries reversing.

"It's just horrendous. Everything gets started at about 7pm and carries on all through the night until about 5am. I start work at 5.30am so I'm doing 12 hours days and sometimes I haven't had a wink of sleep. I had a collapsed lung in July so I need rest but we just don't sleep.

"I sent a letter of complaint to the Highways Agency back in August but I haven't had any correspondence back. I've just been speaking to different people each time on the phone."

Mr Franklin works as a touring caravan engineer at Salop Leisure, also on the Emstrey Island, and chairman Tony Bywater thinks the works are making people steer clear of the area.

He said: "People gossip to each other and say whatever you do stay away and that does have an effect on our business. People are frightened of coming over this side of town because of the endless work. But if we've had any problems the workmen on site have been very good in solving them."

The Highways Agency was not available for comment.