Wem school headteacher hits out over roadworks

Liz Dakin, headteacher at Thomas Adams School in Lowe Hill Road, Wem, said the school is effectively being surrounded by road closures and delays.

She is concerned that three separate sets of roadworks, which include road resurfacing works, are impacting children there.

There is currently work taking place in Wem town centre, while the Shawbury Road towards Shrewsbury has also been closed. This week Ellesmere Road is also being closed for further work.

"Of course I understand that work has to be done on the roads but at the moment it seems like we are surrounded and it is having a real impact on school life," Mrs Dakin said.

"My main concerns are students getting to school on time, attendance at upcoming open days and the upcoming school production on October 15, 16 and 17, which many people will be coming to see and into which the pupils have put an awful lot of work.

"We have buses that bring students to our school from other surrounding towns like Market Drayton, Shawbury, Shrewsbury, Ellesmere and outside of Shropshire, some of these buses are already following a diversion and plans have been in place but for those pupils that are dropped off, the day becomes longer with more travel."

An open day for the school will be held on October 6, with tours at 10.30am and 1.30pm, before an open evening from 5.30pm the same day.

At Adams College an open day on October 22 will have tours at the same time and an open evening from 6pm.

But Mrs Dakin said the roadworks could prove a real issue.

"I am concerned that potential students could have difficulty in reaching us because of the sheer number of works and the locations they are in, all around our school," she said.

"This is not a good first impression and not the one we want to make.

"The closure of Ellesmere Road also means we cannot drive between our two sites, so when we begin preparations for our school production it will make it difficult to move large props.

"This could create difficulties for parents and audience members parking for the productions too."

Mrs Dakin said members of her staff were in touch with the Highways Department to speak about the utility work being carried out, but the nature of the work means it is difficult for them to say exactly how long the work will take.

Councillor John Murray, mayor of Wem, said he appreciated works were having a major impact on traffic, but said they were essential.

Gary Parton, Shropshire Council's highways engineer, said all affected businesses and residents will have been informed of the works via advance notification signs and information letters to properties.

Simon Collins, spokesman for Wales & West Utilities said the firm has been working on Leek Street as part of a scheme to replace more than 500 metres of old metal gas pipes with new plastic ones.