Roundabout to go at Shrewsbury A5 junction
A landmark roundabout on Shropshire's A5 is to be ripped up and replaced with a traffic light junction, as part of £4 million roadworks starting next week.
The Preston Boats roundabout is a landmark for thousands of motorists who travel towards Shrewsbury from Telford along the dual carriageway.
But it also creates long queues, affecting routes including the A5 and A49, and it is hoped a new junction will help reduce delays.
The work is part of a 'national pinch point programme' which was announced during the Chancellor's Autumn Statement in November 2011.
George Osborne says the work forms part of an initiative to help business by reducing congestion.
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Work will start on Monday and aims to be completed by December, costing around £3.8 million. It means a long hot summer for drivers who will have to contend with extensive roadworks, with a speed limit of 50mph and diversions.
A Highways Agency spokeswoman said: "This junction suffers from severe congestion in both morning and evening peak travel times. We will remove the existing roundabout and replace it with a junction controlled by traffic lights.
"There will be roadworks in place to keep our workforce safe from the flow of traffic and traffic will be managed through a temporary speed reduction on all approaches to Preston Island."
Lanes will also be closed on the A5 mainline carriageway east, west, north and southbound, A49 mainline north and southbound and on the roundabout. Diversions will be in operation through a number of routes.
Ms Hart added: "A diversion route will be required when work is carried out on the A49. Drivers wanting to access the A5 from the southbound approach of the A49 will have to exit the A49 onto the A5112 and follow it until it joins the A5. Once back on the A5 they can head east and back to Preston Island. From there they can carry on with the rest of their journey.
"Drivers wanting to access the northbound carriageway of the A49 from Preston Island will head south on the A5 and exit the A5 onto the A5112 and follow the road until it joins the A49. From here they will be able to carry on with the rest of the journey."
Councillor Claire Wild, Cabinet member for highways, said: "It's really good news for Shropshire that the Government is investing almost £9 million into improving junctions on what is one of the busiest stretches of road in the county.
"Although there is likely to be some inconvenience while the Highways Agency undertakes the work, we hope the changes will help to reduce congestion on the Shrewsbury bypass in future."
