Cycle routes planned for several Shrewsbury roundabouts in 'radical' proposals
Shropshire Council is proposing adding segregated cycle routes to a series of roundabouts in a bid to ease traffic flow blighting parts of a town.
The council has launched a consultation on plans for five roundabouts in northeast Shrewsbury – with the proposals including efforts to encourage use by cyclists.
The plans cover Heathgates roundabout, Sundorne roundabout, the Welti/Shrewsbury Club mini roundabout, Enterprise roundabout (Battlefield Link Road), and Battlefield roundabout.
All but the Heathgates roundabout include proposals for segregated cycle routes.
Councillor Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for highways, said the ideas were 'radical' in places, and urged people to give the council feedback on the proposals.
He said: "There has always been a need for us to look at the traffic flow and junction capacity in the north and east of Shrewsbury.
"We know these roads are heavily congested and many junctions are above their capacity.
"What we are attempting to do is set out, in some cases radical ideas for how we can improve how the road network in this part of Shrewsbury works.
"Not all of it will necessarily be what we bring forward and that is the point of the consultation. We want to hear what people think about some of these ideas and ultimately it is about coming forward with a package of improvements we can go then go forward with and seek government funding to try and resolve the traffic pressures in the North and East of the town.
"But what we really want is people to look at the ideas and tell us what they think about them – and if there are other changes we should be looking at as part of this."
The proposal for Heathgates Roundabout includes a new 'hamburger style'.
A similar approach was taken with the remodelling of the Meole Brace roundabout, in an approach that proved successful with drivers.
The method on Heathgates roundabout would create a straight-through link connecting Whitchurch Road and Telford Way. The roundabout would also be surrounded by a segregated shared path and for pedestrians and cyclists, with controlled crossing facilities on the junctions.
The Sundorne roundabout would have a segregated cycle lane running to the west of the A49 running through to Battlefield roundabout.
There would also be priority for pedestrians on a crossing on the A49 junction of the roundabout.
The Welti Roundabout would see a new segregated cycle path on both sides of Featherbed Lane, leading off both directions of the B5062. There would also be an increased roundabout capacity for cars, along with priority crossing for cyclists and pedestrians on Featherbed Lane and the Sundorne Road arms.
Battlefield and the Enterprise roundabout would have a 'Dutch style' to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists at junctions – with a continuous cycle and footpath around the circumference of both roundabouts.
People have until Thursday November 25 to comment on the plans with a spokesman for Shropshire Council adding: "Do you think that Shropshire Council should invest in these projects? Are the plans we’ve suggested the right way to improve them? What’s your experience of using these roundabouts? And, which of the ideas would you like to see progressed – if funding becomes available?"
To find out more about the proposal or to take part in the consultation visit shropshire.gov.uk/get-involved/northeast-shrewsbury-future-connectivity-plan/.
