Road safety schemes delayed by Shropshire Council funding crisis
A number of planned road improvement schemes are being delayed because of a funding crisis, it was revealed today.
The work, scheduled to be carried out in 2018/19 and 2019/20, will now not be done until 2020/21 at the earliest as a transport budget is reduced by £5m.
Schemes include the planned speed reduction scheme for Weston Lane near Oswestry that was agreed two years ago.
Road repairs, including potholes, will be unaffected.
Dave Gradwell, Shropshire Council’s area traffic engineer says ‘community led concern schemes’ are being postponed to allow work on roads where accident data shows there is a safety issue.
Mr Gradwell said: “Shropshire Council’s highways and transport capital budget is to be reduced by £5 million in each of the next two financial years.
"This reduction is to support Shropshire Council in meeting its savings targets, which are as a result of reduced central Government funding and also recognise the additional pressure on adult social care budgets.”
He said decisions on which schemes to defer had taken a great deal of thought.
He added: “Our aim continues to provide safe and well-maintained roads across the county, whilst supporting other council services. To achieve these savings we have therefore carefully considered and prioritised, in consultation with our contractors.
“The Integrated Transport capital budget typically funds schemes derived from Shropshire Council’s Road Safety Policy – both accident-led schemes and community led road safety concerns.
"It also includes signal enhancements, sustainable transport initiatives and bus shelter grants.”
Thelma Parker who lives in Weston Lane and has campaigned for improvements said: “It is a nonsense that this small, winding lane has a 60 mile an hour speed limit.
“We were told last year we would get the new speed limit and now it is getting postponed. It is dangerous.”
