Shrewsbury Wyle Cop roadworks start: How nine-week scheme affects you
Nine weeks of disruption have started in Shrewsbury town centre after roadworks began on Wyle Cop.
The town's most famous road is now closed to drivers heading downhill and will also be shut in both directions for five nights in February.
In the daytime the footways are being upgraded, meaning some pavements are closed and temporary walkways are in place for pedestrians, while the night closure is to allow the road to be resurfaced.
The work is the latest stage of the Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Package - the £12 million scheme which has already seen major revamps of Meole Brace, Sutton Park and Reabrook roundabouts, Coleham Head and the English Bridge gyratory.
What work is being carried out and why?
Starting on January 8 and due to last nine weeks, the aim of the work is to "enhance and improve the area and complete the new Abbey Foregate ‘gateway’ to the town centre," according to Shropshire Council.
As part of this, the footway and kerbs are being re-paved with Yorkstone slabs and the road is being resurfaced.
During phase one of the work, the northern side of the Cop - including the Nags Head, Tanners Wines and the NCP car park - is being re-paved, while the southern side will be upgraded during phase two.
The paving work is taking place during the day and means Wyle Cop is closed to all downhill traffic (heading towards English Bridge and Abbey Foregate).
Meanwhile the Cop will be closed in both directions for five nights from February 26 while the road is resurfaced.
The full closure will be in place from 8pm until 6pm and Beeches Lane (Town Walls) will also be shut.
Where will daytime drivers be diverted?
During the daytime motorists are still be able to drive uphill into the town centre, however Wyle Cop is shut for drivers heading out of town.
Instead of driving 350 yards down the hill and over the English Bridge, drivers are being diverted five miles back through the town centre and over the Welsh Bridge, to Meole Brace and Reabrook roundabouts and down Old Potts Way.
See the council's diversion route here:
As a result, planning a route that avoids the town centre completely is likely to save drivers vast amounts of time, with the High Street and other nearby roads likely to be clogged up.
Alternatives to the suggested diversion include using Porthill Road instead of Copthorne Road and using Longden Road or Hereford Road to head back towards Abbey Foregate.
What about during the night-time closure?
During the week of February 26, Wyle Cop will be closed in both directions during every weekday night from 8pm to 6am.
This is for resurfacing work and will also see Beeches Lane (Town Walls) closed.
During this period, the diversion above will remain the same for traffic heading downhill from the town centre both during day and night-time.
However all drivers heading uphill and into town will need to be escorted through the closure.
The St Julian's Crescent one-way system will be reversed, meaning drivers will be able turn left immediately after the English Bridge and follow the route round to Beeches Lane, where they will be diverted through Town Walls, past St Chad's and down Claremont Bank through to Bridge Street next to Bonds and the St Austins Street Car Park.
Can I still visit businesses on the Cop?
Yes.
All Wyle Cop business and residential properties can still be accessed and the NCP car park is still open at the bottom of the hill.
Although parts of the footways will be closed as they are re-paved, temporary routes for pedestrians are in place.
Moreover, only certain sections of the pavements will be closed at any one time - with the Nags Head side of the road being revamped before the Lion Hotel side.
How does the work affect my bus route?
Arriva buses has rerouted several of its services during the works, meaning departure times have changed and journeys are likely to take longer.
No buses are serving Shrewsbury College's Wakeman Campus.
Buses are being diverted either along Castle Foregate or Smithfield Road before continuing their journeys.
The buses affected are:
The 1 to Telford Estate
The X4 and X5 to Telford town centre
The 8 and 8A to Tilstock Crescent
The 21 to Reabrook Estate
The 23 to Heathgates (Judith Butts)
The 27 and the 27A to Bayston Hill
The 544 to Lyth Hill
The 546 to Pulverbatch
The 70 and X70 to Oswestry
The Meole Brace Park and Ride
The Park and Ride service is being diverted into town via Roman Road, Shelton Road, Copthorne Road, Frankwell and Welsh Bridge picking up the town loop from Smithfield Road and leaving town via Welsh Bridge, Frankwell, Copthorne Road, Shelton Road, Roman Road to Meole Brace.
The Asda, English Bridge and Wyle Cop stops are not being served.
What is the Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Package?
The Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Package includes £12 million worth of work aimed at relieving town-centre and relief-road congestion, improving the environment, air quality and road safety and contributing to the town's economic growth.
As part of this, major changes have been made to key junctions and schemes are in place to enhance pedestrian and cycle links and "improve the quality of the public realm".
As a result roadworks have been going on throughout the town since early 2017, causing regular diversions and disruption for drivers throughout the town.
Work already completed includes the revamp of Meole Brace roundabout, resurfacing and 'improvements' at Reabrook roundabout, new traffic lights and wider pavements next to Shrewsbury College's Wakeman Campus and a new roundabout at Coleham Head.
One part of the planned town centre improvements revealed so far is a complete facelift for the key shopping street Pride Hill.
