Road closed for six weeks to tackle Ironbridge Gorge landslip problem
Disruption being caused by works to help stabilise land in the Ironbridge Gorge is the lesser of a choice of evils, council officials said today.
The Lloyds Coppice road between Jackfield Bridge and Coalport is closed for six weeks because of worsening landslip on the River Severn's north bank.
Pipes are being installed to halt the slide.
Telford & Wrekin Council officers have apologised for inconvenienced but said the situation was not as bad as the worst case scenario.
The authority's structure manager Neil Rushton said: "In the worst case scenario we would be forced to close the road on an emergency basis and it would stay closed for a longer period until a substantial amount of funding could be found to cure the bigger Lloyds Coppice problems.
"The whole of the Lloyds Coppice landslip system will need a stabilisation scheme in the future and the council is continuing to pursue that kind of level of funding from Government. The council identified a need for more than £80 million to be spent on land installation going forward and so far we have had allocated about £33 million so we are a long way short of the full programme of works we know we need to do in order to manage this problem.
"Unfortunately in the short period of time there will be a road closure in Lloyds which will stay in place for Easter or maybe just slightly afterwards.
"That is a shorter period than the alternative which would be to clean up after a fall."
The work is similar to that carried out on the south bank but on a smaller scale.
Councillor Richard Overton, Telford and Wrekin Council's lead member for land stability issues, said: "I would like to apologise for the length of the closure and that we haven't been able to give more notice, but this work is essential.
"The land has been slipping for years and we are now at a stage where we can't allow it to slide any further because the road will start to be affected.
"The closure is necessary to allow stability works to take place and we anticipate that this will be for six weeks."
A full diversion will be in place. Clockwise from the western, Jackfield end of the closure, the diversion is Waterloo Street to Madeley Bank to Ironbridge Road over Lees Farm Roundabout to Parkway over Woodside and Madeley roundabouts to Legges Way into Coalport Road.
Anyone with questions should call (01952 384000 )or email the project team at Jackfield.stabilisationproject@telford.gov.uk
