Resident's dashcam video shows deserted A41 as his section awaits council roadwork teams

It has split the road into two sections but had to close it all.

The resident, who does not wish to be named, sent the Shropshire Star a dashcam video of his Tuesday morning rush hour journey on the usually busy highway.

Apart from a few obvious highways vehicles and barriers up along his six minute route there was no sign of any teams of workers busily completing work in time for a planned September 3 reopening.

"In two weeks they have done zero," said the commuter, who has to drive escorted along the route at 10mph with his car's hazard lights flashing.

"They are stopping the traffic and doing nothing as far as I can see."

On Wednesday he said: "They have taken up a bit now but very small amounts, still nothing really going on this morning.

"The only time I have seen anything happening is when they dug a trench for the TV cameras."

"I would have thought they would have been chucking blokes onto the job."

He added that he has been going down the road towards Telford at 7.30am every morning and then home again about 5.30pm when he is allowed to drive around the barriers if no-one is there to help him through.

Meanwhile, he says the unofficial diversions that other drivers have been taking along unsuitable country roads has led to recent chaos.

"People have been going up on the verges of the narrow country routes, and after the weekend rain this has put mud all over the roads," he said.

"I have nothing against them doing the work, but it feels like we now have a private gated community with our own access."

After submitting his dashcam video to the Star on Tuesday morning, the frustrated resident said: "Same again today and you can see how much they haven't done in two weeks.

"Two cars being escorted by two different vehicles today.

"Two weeks to do hardly anything and a bit of gardening. It's costing people fortunes."

Telford & Wrekin Council began the roadworks on the A41 from Forton Roundabout to Telford and Wrekin’s northern Shropshire boundary two weeks ago.

Since then there have been reports of drivers ignoring the barriers, which the council has condemned.

Firms say they have been hit, including by road closed ahead signs at the Tern Hill Roundabout, near Marker Drayton. One company has even produced its own signs to tell customers that they are open.

Employees at another company say their delivery times have been hit and commuters face spending more time on the roads before their working day starts.

A spokesperson for Telford & Wrekin Council said: "More than 3,000 hours have been ploughed into improvement works in the first two weeks of a major highways project on the A41, with crews working weekends and evenings to complete it on time.

"A road closure is in place whilst the work takes place but businesses along the route are open as usual, and access is being maintained by on-site traffic management operatives. Access is also being maintained for residents.

"Much of the work in the first two weeks has taken place on the section north of Standford Bridge crossroads.

"The nature of the site means that much of the work that began on the north section has not been visible but involved more than 1km of full carriageway will be resurfaced.

"Also, ironwork reinstatement, drainage improvements, road sweeping, gully cleansing, tree felling, litter picking and improvements to road signs and lines will take place on both sections."

A spokesperson for Telford and Wrekin highways team said: “We’re investing around £1m in the A41 to ensure it is well-maintained for residents and commuters.

"The road is being restructured from its base level right through to its surface along with improved directional signage and drainage and we’re confident the work is on schedule to complete on time.”

The council added that it knows that a closure like this can cause disruption, so they planned it for summer holidays when the roads are quieter and added "we’re working as quickly as possible to complete the project."

They add: "We’re grateful to the Sambrook community group in bringing issues around the diversion to our attention and creating a positive environment to resolve the problems together.”

The project involves "essential repairs" which are being carried out in a phased approach on a site split into north and south sections.

Work began with excavation of full widths of carriageway in the north, making it impassable to vehicles.

The spokesperson added: “This is a very complex project and there are multiple crews working on the extensive site at any one time. "

People who wish to raise concerns should email [email protected] or send evidence of speeding to the Police via this website (SNAP).

Project updates will be available at telford.gov.uk/info/20488/planned_projects_and_maintenance/6660/a41_resurfacing_forton_roundabout_to_buttermilk/2.

As at 10.20am on Wednesday, Augus 9, the web page had last been updated on Friday, August 4 at 4.53pm. It had been planned to be updated during the week commencing Monday, August 7.