Work to improve busy Telford junction will begin in January, councillor confirms
A major road improvement scheme will begin early next year on a main route in Shropshire – as part of a £24 million transport programme.
A pedestrian crossing with signals will be one of the additions to Holyhead Road in St Georges, near Central Park.
The road and pedestrian footpath will be resurfaced, and work carried out on a retaining wall which runs adjacent to the road – with work starting in January.
Councillor Stephen Handley, ward member for St Georges, asked when the work would start at last week’s Telford & Wrekin Council meeting.
He said: “As you are aware there has been increasing concern over the Holyhead Road by Central Park in St Georges.
“I know the current and previous Labour councillors for St Georges have been advocating for the road to be improved and have also wanted signals added to the junction of Furnace Road.
“This is a major scheme and I’d be delighted to know if there is a date for this project to commence and if the junction will be signalled to help improve road safety and ease congestion.”
Cabinet member for neighbourhood services, Lee Carter, confirmed that work would begin in January.
He added: “This is a complex structural engineering project which will see improvements to a retaining wall, resurfacing of the roads and footpaths, as well as the introduction of a signalised junction that will include pedestrian crossing facilities.
“This will improve road safety for all that use the junction. I know this is an improvement that will be warmly welcomed by the residents of St Georges and those that use the road.”
Councillor Carter added that the council would be putting £24 million into transport and highways schemes in the next two years.
He said: “Despite record cuts from government this administration has prioritised major improvement schemes across the borough, in particular a number of challenging repairs to structures and retaining walls.
“In the absence of funding from government which has reduced in terms of long-term maintenance for roads, footpaths and bridges by over 50 per cent in the last five years.
“We will continue to invest significantly in our highways infrastructure despite continued cuts in government funding for highways maintenance.
“From the position of having amongst the worst roads in the country in 2010 we now rank first in the West Midlands and second nationally in the National Highways and Transportation Survey.
“These is always more that can be done and in the next two years we’ll be investing over £24 million into transport and highways schemes to ensure roads and footpaths are well maintained and that people can travel around the borough safely.”
