Meole Brace roundabout: Five weeks of road closures in next phase of controversial roadworks

Highways bosses have confirmed machinery will move in on the roundabout on February 10, with diversions and partial closures coming into force on February 12.

The closure will affect the section of roundabout at the junction with Hereford Road, meaning motorists will have to exit onto Hereford Road itself and continue to the retail park roundabout before turning back on themselves to complete a circuit of Meole Brace roundabout.

The work is all part of the £12 million Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Package, which includes improved signs advising of best routes into the town centre to improve traffic flow, improvement work on major junctions and improvements for pedestrians in the town centre including an overhaul of Pride Hill.

Today, transport bosses at Shropshire Council admitted there would be delays and frustrated motorists, but insisted the work, which will see the new road constructed between Hereford Road and Roman Road, had more benefits than negatives.

Gary Dymond, technical engineer for Mouchel, said: "The section we are cutting through will have to be closed. You will still be able to use the roundabout but there is a reduction in capacity on all the approaches.

"Recognising the increased demand we have at the weekend, we will make the roundabout safe and open up that section from Friday evenings to Sunday evenings.

"This is just the first five weeks of work.

"There will need to be resurfacing, new road markings and signals so the through road won't be open until we commission the whole island."

The section of roundabout will be closed from 10pm on a Sunday night to 4pm on a Friday between February 12 and March 24.

The Meole Brace roundabout project has attracted criticism, with more than 4,000 people signing a petition in a bid to stop work continuing.

Matt Johnson, strategic transport and contracts manager for Shropshire Council, said the petition was acknowledged and some of the issues raised addressed, but work would continue as it had many benefits.

He said: "Meole is the first key junction. If we are going to be suggesting people use these junctions to get into town we need to make sure what we are suggesting is fit for purpose.

"Meole sits near Oteley Road where the urban extension will be and where it sits today it is not fit for purpose for its future use.

"In doing the works we are also incorporating anticipated extra traffic.

"We can't ignore that petition. It is clear there is public concern but we figured the best way was to give it time in council which it has had. The decision was not to stop works but to acknowledge the petition.

"It is going to be difficult. We can't do this without some disruption to the network but capacity will be much increased after the works."

Mr Jones said signs currently at the roundabout would be moved to strategic locations before the junction so motorists can be warned about the closures.

He said: "It is a balance we have got to strike – we do need people to stay away if possible.

"Meole will be open for business and will remain open for business throughout."

Mr Johnson said there would be an emphasis on leaving the roundabout in an attractive state and said there would be replanting of trees and other decorative measures once all the work was complete.