Shropshire Star

34-mile diversion for lorry drivers because of A49 roadworks near Shrewsbury

Lorry drivers will face a diversion of more than 34 miles while a two mile stretch of road on the outskirts of Shrewsbury closes for urgent road works.

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The huge diversion will start at the Dobbies roundabout in Shrewsbury. Picture: Google StreetView

Contractors working for Highways England are expected to move on to the A49 next week and will be working to install improved street lighting to the carriageway.

The works will start on November 13 between Dobbies Island, Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury and the turning for Condover.

However for the first week, the road will be closed to the village of Dorrington while resurfacing work is carried out. Then Kier, which has been appointed by Highways England to carry out the work, will use traffic lights to regulate the flow of vehicles.

From December 4, the road will be closed totally from 8pm to 6am and diversions will be in place.

There will be a local, non-HGV, diversion through surrounding villages while for other traffic, there will be a diversion along the A5 to the A458 to Much Wenlock, then on to the B4368 towards Craven Arms before finally turning back on to the A49 where the diversion will end.

It is expected that the work will end by January 20 and that the roadworks will take place overnight during the week. However, there could be times when the work is necessary over the weekend.

In a concession, Kier have said that the road will remain open until 10pm during late night Christmas shopping.

Residents living along the southbound Shrewsbury length of the A49, which links Shropshire to Herefordshire and south Wales, are already facing delays while work is carried out in the Church Stretton and Leebotwood area. Chris Jones, construction team leader for Kier said: “We would advise all motorists to use the signed diversion routes as we have carefully chosen these with suitability and safety in mind.

“Every effort will be made to manage noise levels and additional lighting carefully in order to minimise any disruption to local residents and businesses.”

Members of the Facebook page ‘A49 local traffic news between Shrewsbury and Leominster’ expressed their dismay at the news.

A number of members work nightshifts in Shrewsbury but live south of the Condover turning, they said. and were concerned they would have to leave earlier and return later from their homes.

Others were concerned how members of the emergency services would get through should they need to attend an incident in the south of the county.

A Highways England spokesperson said: “The rural location of the work means to avoid any more disruption to local villages and residents in the area, the diversion route is longer than ideal.

“All diversion routes are agreed in advance with the local authority to keep disruption to a minimum. In addition, we’re doing the work overnight while the road is at its quietest and we’d like to thank motorists and the local community for their patience while the work takes place.”