'Active travel quarter' plans for roads and cycleways in Meole are revealed
Shropshire Council has announced a new package of highway improvement works to improve road safety in the Meole area of Shrewsbury.
The Meole Active Travel Quarter work will re-design the public highway at a number of locations across the area, helping people to more safely walk, wheel and cycle, and improving accessibility and connectivity across the road network.
Members of the local community who have called for changes and improved road safety throughout the Meole area for some time.
The council says it will help meet its aim to 'unlock the potential of Shrewsbury' within the next 10 years.
The plans can be seen on the council’s website until March 15, where people can also submit their comments for consideration by the project team.
Improvement schemes include:
Bank Farm Road: Upgrade the existing cycling amenities to create an active travel corridor. Funding has been received from Active Travel England to design a scheme that is ready for construction. Funding for the build will be applied for once it’s available.
Roman Road Roundabout: Revise the roundabout’s layout to increase movements and capacity with further measures including two new Toucan Crossings and an enhanced footway.
Longden Road/Mousecroft Lane: Improve pedestrian and cyclist connectivity with the construction of a new road hump and re-allocation of footway to segregated route.
This work is being funded through the council’s integrated transport funding and CIL (developer contributions) funding. Work is due to be carried out this summer at the same time as planned maintenance work.
Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for active travel, said: “We’re committed to improving road safety and active travel opportunities and the safety of children travelling to and from school is vitally important. We’re grateful to the local community for highlighting their road safety concerns in the Meole area, particularly in relation to walking and cycling in the vicinity of the nearby schools.
“Officers have worked closely with local residents and groups over the past few months as these plans have been developed and progressed, and I’m pleased that they will soon become a reality.
“We now encourage people to have a look at the plans and let us have their thoughts before work begins.”
The council says the improvements are expected to boost the local economy and improve: air quality; bus reliability; road safety; street lighting and the cycling network infrastructure.
New trees will be planted and the council says the scheme will help improve mental and physical health, whilst easing pressure on the local health services.
It will, the council says, help reduce anti-social behaviour and congestion on the road network as short-distance journeys will be more accessible by walking, wheeling and cycling.
