Lorry ban plan to ease congestion in narrow Shropshire streets

Plans are also in the pipeline to introduce traffic lights to prevent lorries getting sandwiched on narrow streets and lanes.

Shropshire Council has opened talks with councillors from Much Wenlock, Broseley and Barrow about the issue.

It hopes to add traffic lights at the top of Sheinton Street, Much Wenlock, once funding becomes available.

Much Wenlock Mayor Councillor Yvonne Holyoak, Mayor of Much Wenlock, said the issue was getting worse with more large vehicles trying to get to Shrewsbury and Telford. "We have been discussing the traffic problem because there are articulated lorries using roads they simply should not be on," she said.

"They have started travelling through the town centres of Broseley and Much Wenlock after getting lost. The HGV situation is getting worse, especially from Bridgnorth on their way to Shrewsbury."

Councillor Holyoak said vehicles travelling up Sheinton Street in Much Wenlock were causing a particular problem because there were two pinch points.

She said the council had carried out a feasibility study looking into whether traffic lights could be added to stop lorries getting stuck. "It might stop HGVs travelling up or down the street at the same time but it's all whether cash is available," she said.

"Broseley and Barrow have similar problems with HGVs because the roads are built in a similar design, she said.

"They were never built from lorries and some are the same when they were used for horse and cart.".

Simon Jones, the council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: " lorry movements in and around Much Wenlock had been raised as a matter of concern by the town council and residents.

"Shropshire Council commissioned a feasibility study last year to look at appropriate interventions to minimise the impact of traffic, particularly large vehicles, on the Sheinton Street section of the A4169 in Much Wenlock," he said. As a result of this work, an option for using interactive traffic signal technology appears to be viable.

"On this basis, the scheme has been prioritised for capital funding for further design and implementation this financial year."