Plans for Shrewsbury A5 traffic islands redesign are changed

The Highways Agency has scrapped plans to put a road through the middle of Emstrey Island on the outskirts of Shrewsbury.

And a scheme which would have seen Preston Boats Island on the A5/A49 ripped up and replaced with a traffic light-controlled junction has also been abandoned.

The new plans were unveiled to the public on the first day of a two-day exhibition at Salop Leisure yesterday.

It is part of a £9 million scheme which will also see changes to the roundabouts at Churncote and Edgebold.

The new plans will see the size of the island reduced and the road widened to accommodate extra lanes for traffic travelling from Telford in the direction of Oswestry. The new plans for Preston Boats involve building dedicated lanes for traffic wanting to turn left off the approach roads.

Residents gave a mixed reaction to the redesigns.

The plans went on display to the public for the first time yesterday at a public exhibition at Salop Leisure, which continues until 4pm today.

They are part of the Government's £317 million "pinch point programme" designed to boost local economies, reduce congestion and improve road safety.

Keith Jones, a senior highways engineer with Shropshire Council, who was at the exhibition yesterday, said: "We are very pleased with the amount of money central government is prepared to spend on Shropshire.

"This project is getting on for £9 million and we are also spending £3.5 million at Mile End near Oswestry.

"I think it is also important to stress that most of the work will be taking place at night to keep disruption to a minimum."

The exhibition revealed major changes to plans for two of the islands. The idea of allowing A5 traffic to drive through the centre of Emstrey Island has been scrapped, along with replacing Preston Boats island with a traffic light-controlled junction.

Carys Evans, 36, from Bayston Hill, drives to Telford regularly for her job at Ercall Wood School.

She said: "I'm pleased that Preston Boats is being kept as a roundabout but I am a bit disappointed they've not gone with a road through Emstrey because it gets crowded with people at weekends and in the summer.

"Certainly something needed to be done. It impacts nationally when you consider how many people use the roads to get to the Welsh coast."

Bernie Jones, 65, from Withington, who is now retired, also believed that an opportunity had been missed with the Emstrey Island.

The investment there comes just three years after £500,000 was spent on a revamp that saw traffic lights installed.

Mr Jones said: "The £3.5 million for Emstrey could have been better spent by building a flyover for the A5.

"How much has been spent on that roundabout on the lights and then redoing the markings and adjusting the lights?"

Mr Jones said an engineer friend had told him a flyover could have been built for around £3 million.

He said: "This isn't Shropshire Council's fault, this is the Highways Agency.

"The council has told the Highways Agency from the start that the system wouldn't work.

"The person who drew up the original scheme should be held accountable for the waste of money."

Kath and Ted Goodman, from Berwick Grange, welcomed the widening of Emstrey, but also felt a flyover was needed.

Mrs Goodman, 62, said: "We've got a caravan which we keep at Salop Leisure. When you come around Emstrey you can't get from one lane to another because you're too long.

"It looks like they have solved that problem but now it looks like you might have a similar problem at Preston Boats.

"I think having the island and lights at Emstrey creates problems because it is not a massive island."

Mr Goodman, 66, added: "The council seems to have this thing where they want to beautify the roundabouts and it makes visibility very difficult. Why can't they put a flyover on Emstrey?

"I think it's an improvement on the original plan, but I can't understand the need for lights on the roundabouts."

Tom Johnson, 81, from Bicton Heath, welcomed the scheme.

"I think it will improve the flow of traffic around the islands," he said.

"And it is good that they are doing most of the work overnight.".

His wife Pauline, 79, added: "It makes a nice change that we are getting money spent on us here in Shropshire. The idea of the dedicated left lane like at Preston Boats is something I've been arguing for for years."