End in sight for roundabout works near Oswestry
Six months of disruption will come to an end this month as a major improvement scheme to a traffic island is completed.
The work at the Gledrid roundabout on the A5/A483 north of Oswestry is due to be finished by the end of June.
A Highways Agency spokesman said this week that the work was on schedule to be completed on time.
The £700,000 improvement scheme has seen sections of the roundabout and its exits closed at various times throughout the 20-week contract.
The busy junction carries both the A5 and A483 traffic as well as local vehicles going to and from Chirk, Weston Rhyn and St Martins.
Work has take place overnight with all traffic diverted through nearby villages including Chirk, Weston Rhyn and St Martins.
Villagers have complained about vehicles, including heavy lorries, rumbling past their homes throughout the night.
The trunk road has been widened in both directions , the carriageway resurfaced and a footpath build as well as new signing and lighting going up.
The aim is to cut down congestion at the busy traffic junction.
However the changes have been criticised by some drivers and Weston Rhyn Parish Council has also voiced its concern.
Peter Whittall, who lives in Weston Rhyn, said: “The so-called improvements are adding to the problems on the roundabout and are going to create more accidents.”
He said drivers will be able to use two lanes on the island to remain on the trunk road in either direction or travel from Chirk to Oswestry.
“It means that drivers waiting to come out of Weston Rhyn or St Martins have two lanes of traffic to try to merge into. The speed of the traffic going around the roundabout means drivers don’t have time to get on to it from the minor roads.”
He said drivers then faced problems as they left the roundabout. “The two lanes quickly turn into one and that will take a lot of drivers by surprise,” he said.
“I have seen emergency braking and near-misses already. There will be a lot of road rage.”
The design of the roundabout has also been criticised by Weston Rhyn Parish Council. Councillors have written to the contractor, Kier, asking for a review of the road markings.
