Plans for dangerous roundabout

Long awaited safety improvements are to be made to one of Shrewsbury's main roundabouts.

Highways managers have announced that work will start at Dobbies roundabout - where the A5 meets the A49 near Meole Brace - early in the new year.

The scheme to install traffic lights will cost about £650,000. It is expected to start in January 2008.

Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski today said he was delighted that campaigning for the improvements had finally paid off.

He met with Dennis Wheeler, the Highways Agency's route performance manager, and Derek Price, area steward from managing agent contractor Amey Mouchel, last week to see the provisional plans drawn up for the roundabout.

Mr Wheeler said: "The Highways Agency have looked at a number of options for improvements at the junction and have identified a cost-effective signal controlled scheme with new signing and lining, that will improve safety, by managing speed at the roundabout and reducing the possibility of collisions.

"It will also reduce queuing by controlling the entry of traffic to the roundabout.

"The agency has secured the estimated £650,000 funding and the scheme is currently programmed to go out to tender in the early autumn and start on site in January 2008."

The installation will include some resurfacing work while one half of the existing pedestrian and cyclist crossing on the A5 will be moved.

It is expected work will take about 20 weeks to complete.

Mr Kawczynski said: "I am thrilled that the plans to upgrade Dobbies roundabout are finally coming to fruition.

"We have been very lucky so far to have avoided any fatalities at this point, but there is an ever-present danger of a serious accident here, with the roundabout in its current uncontrolled state.

"I know that some campaigners would have liked to see a flyover or underpass instead of the roundabout, but the funding for this would have taken many, many years to secure, if at all."

He added: "Instead, the traffic light control system will both increase the safety at the roundabout and speed up the flow of traffic, reducing the congestion that so many of us suffer there, especially during the holiday season.

"There has been recent success with a similar scheme at junction four of the M54."

By Steve Todd