'Please follow diversions!' Plea as residents brace for five week A41 closure

Major improvement works will take place on the A41 from Forton roundabout to Telford and Wrekin’s northern Shropshire boundary near Hinstock.

The work will mean a full, 24-hour closure from Monday, July 24 through to September.

The planned diversion points drivers towards the A442, through Cold Hatton and Hortonwood.

But with a maze of narrow country lanes crisscrossing through the rural communities that line the edges of the A-road, residents have raised concerns about drivers seeking a shortcut.

David Baxter, owner of British Bird Foods in Hinstock, said the closure was boggling.

He said: "I've never known anything like it, to close any road for 24 hours for six weeks - it's inconsiderate.

"The drivers aren't going to follow the diversion, once the first few days have gone people will try and find ways around it.

"All the small lanes are going to get jammed up and it'll rip up all the verges and lorries will get stuck."

Newport councillor, Tim Nelson, shared David's concerns.

Councillor Nelson said: "It's important for people to be patient, while you might think you know the small, rural roads - they're not designed to take high volumes of traffic.

"There will be children and vulnerable people on those roads.

"If there's a diversion, it's been set up for a reason. No matter how experienced a driver you are, they're the professionals and it's important we work with them and follow the instructions."

4.5km of the road will be closed to undertake work including resurfacing and patching, ironwork reinstatement, drainage improvements, road sweeping, gully cleansing, tree felling, litter picking and improvements to road signs and lines.

The project includes more than 1km of resurfacing, 150m of new drainage will be installed and more than 150 drains cleaned, 30 road signs replaced as well as work on the verges and road sweeping.

Councillor Nelson added: "When we get investment into our road network, we should be happy.

"With a road as important as this, I'm sure they will be getting on with it and getting the work done as quickly as possible."

For further details of the work visit: telford.gov.uk/A41