A49 near Bayston Hill to close for repairs over Christmas

A stretch of the A49 near Bayston Hill will close overnight next month to allow essential repair work to be carried out.

It comes after the Highways Agency said drivers on the A49 between Bushmoor and Craven Arms face three weeks of delays between 8pm and 6am from today.

The Highways Agency has issued an order for the closure of the southbound and northbound carriageways of the A49 between the Dobbies Island roundabout and the Condover junction from December 12.

It will be shut overnight between 8pm and 7am for about four weeks.

Officials said that work on the stretch of road in south Shropshire was due to begin on Monday but had been delayed because of the poor weather.

The road between Bushmoor and Craven Arms will remain closed from tonight with work expected to begin later this week.

Both roadworks will include resurfacing and upgrading traffic signs. The work between Bushmoor and Craven Arms will also involve installing pedestrian crossing points.

During the Bayston Hill closure, vehicles will be stopped from entering or leaving the A49 at its junction with Sharpestone Lane, Lower Pulley Lane, Cross Lane and Lyth Hill Road.

There will also be no entry to The Common, Cross Roads, Burgs Lane and Kendricks Bank.

However, the Highways Agency said that emergency services will be able to pass at all times and residents will be able to access their homes.

During the closure, diversions will be put in place via the A5, A458 and B4368 for southbound traffic and the B4371, A458 and A5 for northbound traffic.

Highways Agency project manager, Laura Mobley, said: "We have planned this work carefully to keep disruption to motorists and local residents to a minimum and will aim to complete the work as quickly as possible."

By Peter Finch