Traffic lights removed ahead of schedule - council

The work to improve the area near Shrewsbury train station began in June 2024

Temporary traffic lights in Shrewsbury town centre have been removed several days ahead of schedule, Shropshire Council has said.

Roadworks restarted on the gyratory on 6 January, and were part of work to improve the area around the station, which started in June 2024.

The lights caused long delays and gridlocked streets, with some business owners concerned that it had put people off going into the town.

On Friday, the authority apologised for inconvenience, acknowledged the work had caused difficulties for road users, and thanked the public for their patience.

As a whole, the project will see new street lights, wider pavements and cycle lanes around the station, which Shropshire Council said would enhance the area and improve accessibility.

Work on Friday saw excavations to install ducts on Smithfield Road, with steel plates put in place to allow the concrete to cure.

This meant there would be a need to temporarily hold traffic "for a short period early next week" to remove the plates, the authority said, but it added this would be done off-peak.

On Wednesday, businesses and shoppers expressed their concerns about the delays caused by the traffic lights.

In response, Shropshire Council said engineers had been on site to check and adjust the signal timings, and encouraged the public to use an alternative route, or use another means of transport.

The next phase of the project will begin on Monday for five weeks.

Work will include paving and kerbing works on Chester Street at the junction with Smithfield Road.

"To facilitate this, and to ensure safety for all concerned, the left-hand feeder lane from Smithfield Road into Chester Street will be closed, though access to Chester Street will be provided," the council said.

The government-funded project is due to be completed by summer 2025.