Council has 'no legal power' to enforce diversion as A41 works lead to chaos
Telford & Wrekin Council is urging motorists to stick to the official diversion after a planned closure of the A41 near Newport led to rush hour chaos on Monday.
Major improvement works are taking place on the A41 from the Forton roundabout north of Newport up to Telford and Wrekin’s northern Shropshire boundary near Hinstock.
A full 24-hour closure was in force from Monday and is expected to last until September 3.
An official diversion takes drivers 29 miles towards the A442, through Cold Hatton and Hortonwood, but by rush hour yesterday, rural roads around Newport became snarled up as drivers sought to find alternative routes.
Residents in the village of Sambrook, north of Newport, said it had been "absolute chaos".
Keith Newton, who lives in the village, said he even had his wall demolished when an HGV went through the village on Monday.
He said: "Whenever the A41 is closed we always have problems. Vehicles can't get around the corner so they knock our wall down. The village is full of drivers coming from from Newport and going to Market Drayton. Our lane runs parallel to the A41 so it is a natural route for anybody heading to Market Drayton.
"But our lane can't cope with it. Everybody is having a fit at what is happening. People are putting things on the verges to stop trucks driving on them. There is a lot of anger here. And this is just day one. By the time it is over I will have no wall left.
"It is absolutely ridiculous. It was jammed all morning. People are getting frustrated."
The council has said it does not have powers to enforce the official diversion but has asked motorists not to deviate from the prescribed route.
A spokesperson from Telford & Wrekin Council highways team said: “This essential work being carried out on the A41 is at the request of residents due to the condition and safety of the road and has been planned for the quietest possible time.
“We are investing more than £1m into much-needed maintenance and work hard to try and minimise disruption to residents and businesses; our team will continue to engage locally to understand what further support can be provided.
“Advisory signs have been in place for two weeks guiding motorists, including HGV drivers on the routes offering the safest diversion, including more than 30 signs both north and southbound before the road closure.
“We’re monitoring the situation closely and are grateful for people’s support and continued patience, but we have no legal power over where people choose to drive.
“We would also urge motorists to plan their journeys carefully, respect the speed limits and to stick to the official diversions.”
If people would like to raise concerns, they can email [email protected].
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.