Transport Secretary Chris Grayling responds 'positively' to A5 and A483 improvements in Shropshire

In a letter to North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, says his department is in key discussions.

Roads minister for Wales, Ken Skates, whose constituency is on the Shropshire border, has pledged to do what he can to help with improvements.

In his letter Mr Grayling says: "A heartening development has been the growing interest expressed by the Welsh Government in working together to achieve improvements to these roads as an important north-south corridor along the border of England and Wales. You will not be surprised to learn that I responded positively."

In his letter Mr Grayling rejects a suggestion from Mr Paterson to use Congestion Relief Programme money to fund the work, saying that it will instead be considered as part of the Road Investment Strategy for 2019.

Mr Paterson said: "Making a bid for congestion funding was worth a shot. But there are other avenues we are now exploring.

"This is encouraging news and shows that the A5/A483 are very much on the table for improvements.

"It is even more vital that people let us know of their experiences on the roads."

The MP has campaigned for the A5 to be dualled for two decades.

The Oswestry bypass was opened in 1988 and even then there were many suggestions that the road should have been built as a dual carriageway.

The A5 stretches from Dover to Holyhead and is dual carriageway apart for a 20-mile stretch from Nesscliffe to Ruabon.

In the past year two roads ministers have visited the A5 north of Shrewsbury and the A483 running south to Llanymynech to see the problems for themselves and speak to local people.

After his visit last month John Hayes said the Government was listening to the concerns of people who use the roads or live nearby.

He said a highways report found that congestion on the A5 north of Shrewsbury and A483 around Oswestry was worsening, impacting safety, economic growth and the environment.

He was taken on a tractor across the Shotatton Cross Road, south of Oswestry so that he could experience for himself the problems of crossing the busy trunk road.

Consultation into the strategic roads network will run until early next year.

Minister’s letter on A5 and A483

Dear Owen,

Thank you for your letters to me dated March 21 and 28 2017, and that to John Hayes dated March 23, regarding your ambition to see improvements to the A5 and A438.

I was saddened to read of the recent accidents on the A483.

Since you wrote, you will have received a letter from John Hayes, responding to your earlier correspondence on this matter, in which he highlights how safety is one of the five key aims the Government has set for the Road Investment Strategy (RIS2).

John's letter confirmed that the A5 and A483 have been identified in Highways England's Midlands to Wales and Gloucestershire route strategy as a study area for further assessment as we develop the RIS2. We will decide which schemes will be taken forward in RIS2 in 2019.

I have considered your suggestion that work to dual the A5 and construct a bypass for Pant and Llanymynech could be funded from the Congestion Relief Programme.

The funding for this programme is intended to unlock relatively small schemes that can be delivered quickly, over the course of this Parliament. The work required on the A5 and A483 would I believe be too substantial to meet the aims of the programme; this, of course, does not undermine the case for their consideration as part of RIS2.

A heartening development in recent months has been the growing interest expressed by the Welsh Government in working together to achieve improvements to these roads as an important north-south corridor along the border of England and Wales.

You will not be surprised to learn that I responded positively. Liaison at official level between our two departments and with Highways England about the case for investment is proceeding.

The evidence that you have supplied about the performance of these roads, the impact they have had on your constituents and the opportunities for making a difference are all very welcome.

I can assure you that the case will be given the most thorough consideration for RIS2.

Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP