Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury town centre one-way system to close for works

Part of Shrewsbury’s one way system will be closed to traffic while new telephone, internet, water and sewage pipes are laid.

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Traffic won't be able to go down High Street or Shoplatch

Shoplatch will be closed from September 4 to 11 while the works are carried out.

Traffic will be diverted via alternative routes including along Town Walls and via Longden Coleham.

The works have been triggered by Western Power Distribution replacing an electric substation which is housed in the Market Hall basement.

Three transformers weighing four tonnes each have to be removed from the building by crane – leading to the closure of the road. The work forms part of a £285,000 investment to improve power supplies throughout the town centre.

As part of the 16-week programme of works, a number of other utilities providers have decided to take advantage of the closures and install new pipes at the same time.

Work on the substation started on June 26 and will continue until early November. Part of Shoplatch will be closed from August 13-17 and September 2-8 when cranes are used to remove and replace the transformers.

Councillor Steve Davenport, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport said: “The works, as a whole, involve a 16 week programme, led by Western Power Distribution, to replace the electric substation currently housed within the Market Hall basement.

“The substation is at the end of its life cycle and a replacement is required in order to ensure current and future electric supply to the town centre.

“The majority of the works, currently on-going, are being carried out with little disruption to businesses and motorists. However in order to remove and replace three four tonne transformers within the building there will be a requirement, on two separate occasions, for a crane to be positioned on Shoplatch and the road closed to through traffic.

“Our street works team have been liaising closely with all public utility companies and other stakeholders over the past few months to ensure that, if the road needs to be closed, we take full advantage and ensure as much essential work as possible takes place at the same time.

“To this extent both Severn Trent Water and BT will be carrying out essential work at the same time – which otherwise would have meant further closures.”

“We are obviously aware of the current Integrated Transport works in Shrewsbury and the closures and local diversions have been co-ordinated to minimise disruption, be completed prior to town centre refurbishment works starting early in 2018 and miss all major events in the town.

“I’d just like to state that access to all parking in the town centre and surrounds during the closures will be available and that Shrewsbury remains very much open for business during these essential works.”