Manhole repairs cause Shrewsbury traffic delays
Traffic has been backed up through Shrewsbury town centre today as emergency repairs are carried out to a manhole cover.
Engineers were called to mend a defective and dangerous manhole cover on Smithfield Road. Delays were on all approach roads.
The work to the manhole, at the junction with Raven Meadows, is being carried out by contractors working on behalf of BT.
Temporary traffic signals are now in place, but the working area has caused the remaining road space to become too narrow to leave open to traffic. This has meant that traffic is prohibited from turning right from Raven Meadows, and is instead being diverted to the left along Smithfield Road to Frankwell Roundabout, and then back along Smithfield Road on the opposite side.
In addition, the bus route from Castle Foregate direction has been diverted via Castle Gates, through the town centre and into the bus station from the opposite direction.
Arriva have been notified of the change in bus routes to the bus station.
A council spokesman said: "All being well, the work should take approximately two to three hours today with the signals removed upon completion. This will however leave a temporary surface until tomorrow, when the same system will be installed while a permanent reinstatement will be carried out."
