Anger at delays in installing crossing over main village road

Children’s lives are being put at risk by repeated delays in installing a promised pedestrian crossing, villagers claim.

Shropshire Homes, the company behind a new housing development in Hanwood, said it would fund a crossing over the A488 as part of the scheme when plans were submitted in early 2018 – but hold ups within Shropshire Council’s highways department have meant it is still yet to appear.

Parents are now growing fearful for the safety of their children, with an increase in traffic resulting from the occupation of the new houses and the darker evenings drawing in.

Steve and Iris Cawthorne have lived in the village for eight years with their three children and said the council’s lack of action – compounded by an absence of communication with village residents – “smacks of incompetence”.

Mr Cawthorne said: “We have got three children of school age, two of whom have to get the bus to school every day and on the return journey have to cross the road to get back to our house.

“With the increased development around Hanwood the road is increasingly busy and we are really concerned for the safety of our kids.

“People on Caradoc View and Hanwood Heights who have got junior school aged children have to cross the road to get to the village school, so we have got mums with prams and young children all having to cross that road without a crossing, and now we are at a time of year when we have got less light.”

Mrs Cawthorne said: “There are also elderly people who catch the bus into town and have to navigate busy traffic to get over the road.

“At some times of the day it’s very dangerous. Cars come through the village at high speeds and it’s only a matter of time before there is a serious accident.”

The delay is believed to have been caused by admin errors in booking the roadworks and difficulties in arranging a contractor to carry out the installation at the right time of year.

“We did get to a point when it was promised and we were given a date, and traffic signs were put up saying the road would be closed for it to be done – but it never happened,” said Mr Cawthorne.

“Our local councillor, Roger Evans, said somehow the permits to close the road had been mixed up.

“There has been no communication with the residents so we don’t know what’s going on.”

Councillor Evans said: “The developers agreed to fund and put in place a crossing – that was two and a half years ago.

“Shropshire Council keeps finding reasons why it can’t be done, even though it will be at no cost to the council.

“It was going to be done last October but the council said no because the road needed to be clear from December 1 for Christmas shopping. The council then said lighting and other things needed to be improved first, then we had the lockdown.

“It was going to be done in August but the council said by the time it would have finished the roads would be too cold to have tarmac put down.

“I still haven’t had any answers as to why they can’t put the lights in and put the tarmac down later.

“It now looks like it will be next spring at the earliest.”

Shropshire Homes had already paid the £25,000 required to Shropshire Council by the time planning permission was granted in March 2019.

Andy Sheldon, land director at Shropshire Homes, said: “We would like to confirm that we are fully committed to installing the pedestrian crossing at the earliest opportunity and are working with Shropshire Council and Councillor Evans to make it happen.”

Gemma Lawley, Shropshire Council’s developing highways manager, said: “Regrettably it has taken a number of months to agree all technical details, and the proposed works have been postponed on more than one occasion.

“We are pleased to confirm that all details have now been agreed and some of the infrastructure for the crossing can now be commissioned for installation.

“However, as we are now approaching the winter period, the crossing will be opened when the weather conditions allow the necessary anti-skid surfacing to be laid early in 2021.

“Shropshire Council is aware of the concerns raised by residents and Councillor Evans, and working with Shropshire Homes will work to facilitate these works at the earliest opportunity.”