Shrewsbury Flower Show boss hits out at road closures
Bosses of Shrewsbury Flower Show have hit out at a series of road closures which they say will impact on showgoers.
The Highways Agency plans to shut the Emstrey Island on the A5 at Shrewsbury on Saturday evening from 7.30pm – a move which Nigel Pearson, the show's chairman of marketing, says will have a "major adverse affect" on the show.
Mr Pearson said: "Was the Highways Agency aware that the Shrewsbury Flower Show is taking place on Friday and Saturday? Its last minute road closure could have a major adverse affect on those attending, as many of the attractions go on until 10pm."
Mr Pearson said he has contacted Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski over the matter and was hoping something could be done to stop the works.
Meanehile, one of the busiest roads in Shrewsbury will be closed at night for two weeks as part of £4.6 million work to ease a bottleneck around a busy town centre roundabout.
The closure of London Road is one of a number of projects which will see roads across the county shut in August.
The road will be shut off to traffic at its junction with Emstrey Island from 8pm to 6am for a fortnight from Sunday.
The closure will allow for work to be done to widen London Road on its approach to the island and hopefully alleviate any potential traffic build-ups.
A diversion route taking in London Road, the Column roundabout, Wenlock Road and vice versa will be in place during the period of the closure.
The Highways Agency says that the work is part of a national programme to improve "pinch points" in the road network to help keep traffic moving.
Highways Agency project manager Jess Kenny said: "This is a very busy island and the improvements will really make a difference to drivers' journeys, easing congestion especially at peak times, which can only help the local economy.
"To minimise disruption, we will carry out the majority of the work at night, but some full closures will also be needed between the hours of 7pm and 7am."
Other road closures across the county in the next few weeks include one at Mill Street, in Wem, where the road will be shut off to traffic for three days from Sunday. It is to allow surface dressing of the road.
A lengthy diversion will be in place via the B5063, A49, B5065 and B5476.
In Bridgnorth, part of the High Street – between Whitburn Street and St Mary's Street – will be closed for two nights from August 11 to allow for overnight carriage resurfacing.
And in Alveley, traffic will be stopped from going down Daddlebrook Road for one day on August 15.
In Oswestry, Whittington Road will be shut for four days from August 12, while Morda Road will also have a four-day closure but from August 15.
