Drivers issued warning as major event planned

The annual Bike4Life Ride Out and Festival takes place on Sunday and will see a huge convoy of riders and their pillion passengers travelling a 25-mile route to raise money for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

Starting from Meole Brace in Shrewsbury at 10.30am, the ride-out will travel along the A5, M54 and A41 to its new home at Weston Park, with the first bikes due to arrive at around 11.10am.

National Highways said there will be up to two hours of traffic restrictions, starting from 10.20am, while the huge convoy passes through.

There will be restricted traffic movements at Meole Brace Island if travelling from Sainsbury’s.

All eastbound movements will be stopped at A5 Dobbies, A5 Emstrey and A5 Preston Boats roundabouts.

There will also be closures of the eastbound entry slip roads on the M54 at junctions 7, 6, 5, 4 and no traffic movements other than the motorcycles at junction 3 and the A41 northbound as far as the junction with Offoxey Road until the ride out clears.

National Highways Senior Network Planner, Frank Bird, said: “The sight of all the bikes leaving Meole Brace and heading down the motorway and then into the festival is quite the spectacle and one we are happy to support as we see the vital work Midlands Air Ambulance Charity does at close hand.

“We’ll be making sure the ride out runs as smoothly as possible and will reopen roads and junctions as soon as it is safe to do so.

“We advise anyone due to travel through this area on Sunday to plan ahead and avoid the times of the ride out if possible. If that’s not possible, set off early and allow extra time for your journey.”

The convoy will be led by a National Highways traffic officer vehicle.

Additional traffic officers will be patrolling the route to help with any incidents and keep roads moving as smoothly as possible, while another vehicle will bring up the rear, sounding its bullhorn as it passes each junction to signal to traffic management crews that roads can be reopened.

Bike4Life is organised by Midlands Air Ambulance Charity with support from the Safer Roads Partnership.

This year’s festival includes live bands, food traders and entertainment and raises money for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

Expected to attend Bike4Life this year are former motorcycle racing champions Carl Fogarty, James Whitham and Steve Parrish, former UK Special Forces Soldier Ollie Ollerton, and renowned custom motorbike engineer Allen Millyard.

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