Concerns over 'dangerous' one-way system near The Wrekin
A road near The Wrekin made one-way during the coronavirus lockdown is now “very dangerous," councillors have said.
The lane near a beauty spot is “very dangerous, especially at weekends” after a one-way system was imposed there, councillors for the area say.
Ercall Lane, which links Wrekin Forest Glen to Wellington, was made one-way by Telford and Wrekin Council in May.
Councillor Miles Hosken, who represents the Ercall ward which includes the north end of the lane, proposed that Wellington Town Council should recommend the system be removed, along with the cycle track, to the borough council’s consultation on the measure.
An amendment asking Telford and Wrekin Council highways officers to give a presentation to members before they make a decision, proposed by Arleston councillor Giles Luter, was approved.
Fellow Ercall councillor Dorothy Roberts criticised this, saying they could not afford a delay as the issue is “very critical at the moment”.
Ercall Lane starts near the Wrekin Forest Glen Car Park and passes the Ercall Nature Reserve and Buckatree Hall Hotel, crossing over the M54 to join Holyhead Road, Wellington.
The one-way system was introduced there as part of a package of measures across the borough to try to prevent popular outdoor spaces becoming too crowded and spreading Covid-19.
Councillor Luter said: “I’d like to make a proposal that, in order for the town council to ascertain a more complete understanding of the scheme and make a more meaningful and constructive contribution to the ongoing consultation, that we request Telford and Wrekin highways make a presentation to the town council P&R Committee, with the Ercall ward councillors invited to engage in the process.”
Shawbirch councillor and Policy and Resources Committee chairman Stephen DeLauney agreed.
“I’ve found, certainly if you look at the initial road changes that were made in the town centre, highways were quite happy to sit down and discuss what the best way of making changes was,” he said.
Councillor Roberts, who seconded Councillor Hosken’s original motion, said Ercall Lane “is currently very dangerous for walkers and I don’t think we can mess around”.
She said Councillor Luter’s amendment would “delay everything”, and the issue was “very critical at the moment, especially at weekends”.
“You’ve got walkers walking all over the place, you’ve got them in the cycle lanes,” she said.
“The heavy traffic in Ercall Lane is pretty constant, now, at weekends, and it’s just very very dangerous.”
Haygate councillor John Alvey agreed with Councillor Hosken and Councillor Roberts, saying: “We’ve got a dangerous situation here. We should be mindful to limit that dangerous as much as possible as soon as possible, rather than waiting for something to happen.”
Councillor Luter’s amendment then the amended motion were both passed by a majority. The Policy and Resources Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6.
