A53: Safety measures plan for danger road
Shropshire Council is "seriously looking" at ways to improve safety on what is considered one of the county's most dangerous roads.
Council leader Lezley Picton, and Councillor Dean Carroll, cabinet member in charge of highways, said a review over safety on the A53 was already underway.
The issue, which has been an ongoing concern to residents along the route from Battlefield in Shrewsbury to Shawbury – and onwards to Market Drayton - has been thrown into focus by a number of incidents in recent weeks.
There have been calls to introduce speed cameras or more stringent speed limits, as well as other measures, such as improvements to verges.
Two lorries have overturned on the road in recent days, and 19-year-old Charlotte Hope was killed in a crash on Saturday, April 9.
Councillor Carroll said they understood the concerns of the public and that they were looking at all options to make the road safer.
He said the review of safety was already underway, and had been launched last year.
"People are concerned about a whole range of different factors on that stretch of the A53," he said.
"It is to early to say what the outcome of the review work will be but we are seriously looking at the options for making the stretch of the road safer."
He added: "My ward goes up to the service station at the start of the A53, I travel it on a regular basis, I understand everything people have raised.
"Astley Parish Council have been raising this with us for some time and that is why we decided to look at it."
Councillor Carroll said a number of measures had been suggested by Astley Parish Council at a meeting attended by himself and Councillor Picton earlier this week.
He said: "There have been a range of things put forward at the parish council and it is not for me to say if they are technically suitable.
"People have mentioned everything from reducing speed limits to speeding enforcement, to different road markings, the restructuring of verges and kerbing, lines of visibility – pretty much the whole range."
Councillor Picton, who represents the area, said: "The parish council and myself as local councillor understand the concerns from the residents and we have already put in a request for this review to take place, which is happening. We will try to get it done as soon as possible to get these changes made."
