MP urges public not to trespass at disused 'blue lagoon' quarry pool
Ludlow MP Philip Dunne is backing calls for people not to trespass at a privately owned quarry.
Mr Dunne has urged the public to respect the law and not trespass at Shadwell Quarry in Much Wenlock.
Recent warm weather has attracted people to visit the disused quarry pool, with the site becoming more popular as lockdown travel restrictions have started to be relaxed.
Alongside concerns about people congregating there and not adhering to social distancing guidelines, Mr Dunne has stressed issues of safety at the quarry after a man was injured there and taken to hospital during the recent bank holiday weekend.
See also:
Despite safety and trespassing warnings following this incident, people were seen visiting the quarry on Tuesday.
Mr Dunne said: “I am aware of the problems posed during the warm sunny weather, by young people from far and wide breaking into Shadwell Quarry.
"I have been in regular contact with local Shropshire councillor, Councillor David Turner, and West Mercia Police, who have been working together with Shropshire Council and the owners of the site, to do what they can to prevent the large numbers of people trespassing on the site.
"I want to stress this is not a safe place to hang out or swim. People should not seek to trespass at the quarry.”
At the request of the police, Councillor Turner ensured that Shropshire Council introduced dawn-until-dusk traffic management on the approaches to the site, although this had the effect of pushing traffic into Much Wenlock and along country lanes.
The owners of the site have repeatedly repaired breaches in the boundary fence and are once more securing the site.
More Covid-19 coverage:
Easing of lockdown travel restrictions has also caused problems in Church Stretton, which due to its proximity to popular National Trust site Carding Mill Valley, has been inundated with visitors for the last two weekends.
Many of those travelling to the area have reportedly been ignoring Covid-19 social distancing guidance, causing concern to high-risk local residents.
The South Shropshire Green Party has called for the Government to tighten up lockdown travel rules out of concern for the infection risk which it believes high volumes of visitors pose to Church Stretton's largely elderly population.
Travel limit
The party has called for regulations to impose a five-mile travel limit from home to a destination.
Councillor Lyn Antill, a Green Party representative on Church Stretton Town Council, said: “The arrival of many hundreds of visitors by car to Church Stretton and Carding Mill Valley has seriously worried residents about the possibility of an increase in Covid-19 infection in our small community.
"Visitors are not social distancing, they are parking wherever they can and causing problems for local residents. This is the result of the decision of the Government to relax lockdown without a thought for the welfare of residents in places like Church Stretton. The Green Party view is that we should impose a five-mile travel limit.”
Meanwhile, across the Welsh border, travel restrictions continue to be flouted.
On Tuesday, Newtown Roads Policing Unit reported a large number of visitors breaching guidelines to travel to a Powys beauty spot.
Posting on Twitter, a spokesperson for Newtown RPU said: "Over 150 vehicles stopped and checked today close to Pistyll Waterfall.
"Sad to see so many of them breaching the Covid-19 restrictions travelling long distances into Wales.
"Thank you to the local support given to officers."
