Overgrown Shrewsbury roundabout driving businessman crazy
A controversial roundabout which stands at the entrance to Shrewsbury is covered with weeds and nettles despite a multi-million pound scheme of works being completed around it.
The state of Emstrey Island has outraged local businessman Tony Bywater, chairman of caravan dealership Salop Leisure, who is unhappy about the state of the redesigned roundabout on Shrewsbury bypass, which is located alongside his business.
A supporter of the Shrewsbury in Bloom campaign for many years, he is at a loss to understand why no thought was given to landscaping the centre of the roundabout, which stands at the gateway to the Town of Flowers.
And his campaign to get the scrubby land transformed has gained the support of the town's MP who has vowed to take up the matter with Highways England.
Mr Bywater has succeeded in getting some trees felled to improve visibility and road safety, but his request for the roundabout to be landscaped into a grass dome, which is easy to maintain and keep tidy, has fallen on deaf ears.
Now Daniel Kawczynski MP and Shropshire councillor Clare Wild have joined the campaign to smarten up the roundabout.
"It's such a shame that the roundabout was not finished off properly after all the expense on the road improvements," said Mr Bywater. "We are now left with nettles, thistles, weeds and bare earth at one of the main entrances to the town.
"We have always taken great pride in the appearance of our premises and the roadside outside our business and had hoped that the roundabout would be maintained to the same high standard. But it's an absolute mess and something needs to be done about it."
Mr Kawczynski said: "I am keen to see the appearance of this prominent roundabout improved and will be writing to Highways England to ask whether there is any intention of landscaping being undertaken."
Councillor Wild, who also wants the signage on the roundabout improved, said: "The central reservation is an absolute disgrace considering the town won the Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions award last year and it's at the gateway entrance to Shrewsbury.
"It's a real shame for Shrewsbury and very frustrating for local businesses like Salop Leisure."
