Shropshire Star

Major A5 roadworks at Shrewsbury on course for March completion

Major roadworks that have frustrated motorists in Shropshire for months are on track to be completed before the end of March, it has been revealed.

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The Highways Agency today said the team behind the project on the outskirts of Shrewsbury are currently on track to finish the work before the target date of the end of that month.

Today motorists heading east from Shrewsbury's Preston Boats towards Telford were able to use both lanes and at Emstrey both lanes are open heading towards Telford.

The £8.4 million scheme at Emstrey and Preston Boats islands was scheduled to finish in December but has faced several setbacks.

Debbie Makinde, a spokeswoman for the Highways Agency, said: "We aim to complete the A49 Preston Boats and Emstrey Island schemes by the end of March.

"The team are working hard and are on track to complete before then."

Initial problems had been caused by poor weather and technical issues with the commissioning of traffic signal control components.

Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski has previously described delays to the scheme as unacceptable.

He added his constituents had been making it clear they were not prepared to continue putting up with the disruption up to the middle of March.

Richard Vine, regional director of Lafarge Tarmac, which is transforming the Emstrey and Preston Boats islands on the A5 in Shrewsbury, has previously said it was "not as simple as working faster".

He said he was aware of motorists' frustrations but said accelerating the scheme could put road users and his workforce at risk.

The work at the two islands started in June and has caused delays of up to 30 minutes for motorists. There have also been several overnight road and island closures.

The project was named number eight in a list of Britain's top 10 worst congestion blackspots caused by roadworks, by traffic information provider Inrix.

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