Shrewsbury roundabout roadworks will go on into 2015
Roadworks at Shrewsbury's Emstrey and Preston Boats islands will drag on until the new year - and possibly into February, it was revealed today.
Officials at the Highways Agency had pledged earlier this month that the £8.4 million works would be finished by tomorrow, following months of disruption, and fully operational by Sunday.
But Highways Agency spokesman Joe Wilson said today: "Traffic management will have to remain at both sites over the Christmas period. Workers will be back to finish off in the new year. We are aiming to complete in January or at the very latest February. We are confident it will be January."
He said health and safety issues were responsible for the delay, as well as a technical issue with traffic signal control systems.
The work at the two islands started in June and has caused delays of up to 30 minutes for motorists during rush hour due to lane closures and speed restrictions. The project was named at number eight in Britain's top 10 worst congestion blackspots caused by roadworks by traffic information provider Inrix.
Work at Preston Boats junction will retain the roundabout but include "smart" traffic lights on all approaches.
New wider approaches are being finished off at Emstrey island which will have three lanes when it fully reopens.
It comes after months of disruption for motorists while the work has been carried out, including several overnight road and island closures.
The work on Emstrey island is costing £4.6 million and Preston Boats £3.8 million.
Officials at the Highways Agency said the project, which started in June, was necessary to ease congestion on a major route linking Shropshire and traffic from North Wales to the West Midlands and the main motorway network.
