Work begins to improve St Julian’s Friars and Wyle Cop junction
A project to improve the busy junction of St Julian’s Friars and Wyle Cop begins in Shrewsbury today.
St Julian’s Friars and Wyle Cop junction improvement work begins
The work will include the repaving of footways, minor highway drainage, kerb realignment and the installation of a zebra crossing on Beeches Lane, as a replacement for the existing Pelican crossing.
Two speed humps will also be installed – one in Beeches Lane and one at the bottom of Wyle Cop.
The enhancement scheme is designed to lower vehicle speeds and improve the junction for pedestrians, as well as making it easier for vehicles to access businesses for loading.
Beeches Lane, St Julian’s Friars and Wyle Cop will each need to be closed for a time to allow the work to be carried out.
Only one road will be closed at a time, starting with Beeches Lane which will close to traffic at 9am on Monday 2 June 2014 for up to three weeks.
Wyle Cop is then expected to be closed from 23 June to 8 July, and St Julian’s Friars is due to be closed on 9 and 10 July.
Signed diversion routes will be in place during the closures, and pedestrians will still have access, as will vehicles needing to access businesses for loading.
Claire Wild, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport, said:
“This project will greatly improve an important gateway to Shrewsbury town centre.
“Pedestrian access has always been difficult, particularly crossing Beeches Lane from St Julian’s Friars car park, and this work will make it much safer for pedestrians.
“We apologise for any disruption caused by the road closures, but they are unavoidable due to the nature of the work.
“Shrewsbury town centre will still be very much open and accessible, with pedestrian access being maintained at all times.
“Residents and businesses can be assured that we will do everything we can to get the work completed as quickly as possible.”
Andrew Bannerman, local Shropshire Councillor for Quarry and Coton Hill, said:
“This is an ideal opportunity for those who just want to get to the other side of the town centre to use an alternative route. For instance, to get from the Column to Frankwell, it is generally just as quick, and much more environmentally friendly, to use the Meole Island, Roman Road, Porthill route, than to go through the town centre.”
