Multi-million pound road improvement scheme backed by cabinet

Councillors will next week give the final green light to a £2.7 million project to improve the road layout of Shifnal town centre.

It has been seven years in the making, but on Monday afternoon Shropshire Council’s cabinet gave its seal of approval for the scheme which will now go before the full council next week to be rubber stamped.

The work has been funded by money given by housing developers through the community infrastructure levy (CIL) and ‘section 106’ agreements, and is in response to mounting concerns from the community over the pressure caused by significant housing development in recent years.

A report to cabinet by Steve Brown, the council’s head of transport, said work should start in May next year and take around a year to complete.

Councillor Steve Davenport, portfolio holder for highways, said: “This report recognises the need to respond to the growth of housing development in Shifnal and respond to the community concern regarding the impact of growth to improve key infrastructure in the town.

“The report delivers a £2.7 million scheme entirely externally-funded from developer contributions and demonstrates Shropshire Council’s commitment to all of our market towns with key projects.”

The scheme will include realigning and increasing capacity at key junctions, traffic calming, resurfacing of roads, landscaping and tree planting, pavement improvements and new street furniture.

It has been supported by the council’s highways and transport department and Internal Infrastructure Group (IIG), Shifnal Town Council and the town’s unitary councillors.

Councillor Davenport added: “There has been a lot of discussion over the last couple of years. Peter, myself, officers and local members have met regularly in Shifnal to get to this stage.”

Council leader Peter Nutting said: “We have all been involved in lots of discussions about this and it’s taken time but I’m glad we have got to where we are with the scheme.

“It’s got to go to council to be approved but I would be surprised if there were any changes. It’s something that is vitally needed.”

Cabinet unanimously agreed to support the project and recommend to full council that it is approved. Full council approval is required due to the total cost exceeding £1 million.

The scheme has been scaled back from initial plans put forward in 2015 after it was accepted that there would not be enough funding to cover the estimated £3.5 to £4 million cost.

The scheme in its current form was agreed by the town council in October this year. It aims to ease congestion and reduce vehicle speeds approaching the junction joining Aston Street, Victoria Road, Bradford Street and Market Place.

The Victoria Road traffic lights will be replaced with a zebra crossing, and a second pedestrian crossing will be created where Market Place meets Victoria Road.

The scheme will also see footpath and highway improvements between south of Church Street on the A464 to the Bradford Street/Shrewsbury Road junction. Additional landscaping and public seating areas will also be included.