Row over passes for A41 roadworks
Council chiefs today insisted permits had not been withdrawn for residents living along Shropshire's A41 while controversial roadworks were ongoing following rumours. Council chiefs today insisted permits had not been withdrawn for residents living along Shropshire's A41 while controversial roadworks were ongoing following rumours. Yellow passes were issued to people living on the affected section of the busy trunk road. The permits were given out so they would still have access to homes and businesses while the three-week essential resurfacing work was being carried out. Other motorists are facing 30-mile diversion routes. But it was today revealed that engineers working on site between Chetwynd Firs, north of Newport, and Standford Bridge had been bombarded with drivers using fake passes and one worker had even been spat on and others verbally abused. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star
Yellow passes were issued to people living on the affected section of the busy trunk road. The permits were given out so they would still have access to homes and businesses while the three-week essential resurfacing work was being carried out.
Other motorists are facing 30-mile diversion routes.
But it was today revealed that engineers working on site between Chetwynd Firs, north of Newport, and Standford Bridge had been bombarded with drivers using fake passes and one worker had even been spat on and others verbally abused.
Residents claimed workers on site told them as a result of the incidents all permits were going to be revoked.
Peter Spicer, who owns Chetwynd Firs Boarding Kennels & Cattery, said he had been told by workmen on the barriers that the pass system had been "temporarily revoked" as "all sorts of people were going through".
But Telford & Wrekin Council transport chiefs today insisted that was not the case and that initial teething problems with the roadworks had been ironed out.
Councillor Stephen Bentley, the authority's transport cabinet member, said: "Following consultation residents and businesses on the section of the A41 where the works are were given passes to allow them to their homes and businesses during the work.
"These passes do not, however, allow them through the works.
"After some initial issues where other people attempted to copy these passes and some abuse of the contractors' gatemen, these issues have now stopped."
By Wayne Beese
