Busy junction gets safety improvements from customer led Highways Fund
A junction on a busy trunk road has been improved in one of a number of recent schemes by Highways England.
The A483 Maesbury Road Junction at Oswestry often became congested as HGVs struggle to negotiate the tight turnings. After the problem was pointed out by the public, Highways England used cash from a £500,000 customer-led Patch Fund to redesign the layout.
It is one of 18 schemes carried out in 12 months.
Highways England Programme Development Manager, Ian Doust, said: "HGVs joining the A483 at the junction often mounted the footpath due to the tight turning. As well damaging the pavement, a bollard and signpost had also been hit. And the time taken to navigate the junction caused congestion.
"Using £130,000 from the patch fund, the junction was altered with new road markings and kerbing laid out to make it easier for HGVs to negotiate. Since the changes in April, there hasn’t been any damage and traffic is moving more smoothly through the junction.
“It is important for Highways England to be a good neighbour and listen to not only the people that use our roads but also those living near our network.
“This fund is available to act on suggestions by local people and carry out improvements on smaller and medium-sized issues.
“We are already working on a list of improvements for the next 12 months.”
Other schemes carried out during the 2020/21 year included resolving a safety issue on the A45 near Coventry
Elsewhere, action was taken to tackle flooding in the A49 Victoria Street underpass in Hereford. Pumps in the underpass were failing to cope with rainwater which could reach up to six inches deep in bad weather. They were replaced with £10,000 from the fund.
And £2,000 resolved a nuisance problem at a layby on the A46 in Warwickshire.
Projects in the pipeline for this year include installing additional safety barriers, an anti-flytipping project and landscaping.
