Transport Minister to come and see 'dangerous' Shropshire A5

Mr McLoughlin has agreed to visit the county on a fact-finding mission with North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson.

Mr Paterson hopes to persuade the minister that the road north of Shrewsbury should be dualled and will also press for a bypass for Llanymynech and Pant on the nearby A483.

The visit is expected to be in the spring.

Mr Paterson has been campaigning for 18 years for improvements to the A5, particularly the stretch between the Nesscliffe bypass and the north Wales border.

"The A5 through Shropshire is part of the Trans European Highway that connects Europe, through Britain to Ireland," he said. "The stretch north of Montford Bridge is the only single carriageway road on the entire route.

"It also contains two of the most dangerous junctions in north Shropshire, at Shottaton crossroads and at Queens Head."

The proposed Llanymynech and Pant bypass is in the Government's long term road improvement programme although it is currently marked as 'on hold'.

The MP visited Pant earlier this week to talk to residents about their concerns.

"This is the longest running bypass campaign in the UK," said Mr Paterson. "In 1993 the 'preferred route' was announced and its line protected against development – we so nearly got the bypass through.

"I also want to impress on the Welsh Government that the road through Pant and Llanymynech is a horrible mess in the middle of their main strategic road. The Welsh Government has build the Four Crosses bypass, Welshpool and is now embarking on Newtown. But although 90 per cent of the benefit of the bypass would be for Wales 90 per cent of the noise, the danger and the money lands on England."

The MP has called on those living in the villages to monitor every single incident or accident, however minor.