Thursday, 17th May 2012

More town streets to close

More streets will be closed in Shrewsbury centre in the next few weeks for vital resurfacing work – the day after a major event celebrating the end of traffic disruption.

Several major roads will be closed over three weekends to be resurfaced, including the weekend of an ‘open’ day planned by traders to attract shoppers into the town on May 31.

Castle Gates and Castle Street will be closed for work this weekend, May 17 and May 18, while Dogpole and St Mary’s Street will be resurfaced on May 31 and June 1. 

Roads will close at 7pm on the Saturday and work will take place overnight until the job is complete on Sunday morning, with Wyle Cop also due to be resurfaced on the weekend of June 7 and 8.

The news comes just as the third phase of the Town Centre Enhancement Scheme is due to be completed and roads returned to normal after a host of contraflows and diversions led to longer journey times and tailbacks for drivers. 

The ‘open’ day is being organised by the town’s traders, officers from Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and Shropshire County Council in a bid to attract people back to the town centre after months of traffic disruption. 

So far plans include free Park and Ride for the day and street entertainment.

Promotional brochures will also be sent out to people within an hour’s drive of the town and the county council is producing banners advertising Shrewsbury  on the town’s ring road.

Laura Owen, spokesperson for SCC, said: “The enhancement scheme is still on schedule to finish on May 31. 

“Resurfacing work will be carried out over three weekends and during this time the roads affected will need to be closed. 

“We will, of course, endeavour to open them again as soon as the work is completed.”

Pride Hill could also be resurfaced later this year causing more concerns for traders about loss of business.

l See pages 4, 8 and 9 of Shrewsbury Chronicle on sale now.