Road repair plea after 'traffic light near misses'

Temporary lights have been in place on the A488 in Hope for more than a year, after sections of the road broke away

A councillor and residents have called for immediate action on part of an A-road, after a large number of "near misses" at temporary traffic lights.

The issue started more than a year ago when the edge of the A488 along the valley in Hope broke away.

Councillor Heather Kidd said since then two more sections "had crumbled away", leaving drivers navigating three sets of lights, and she had lost count of the times she reported lights out or "green at both ends".

Shropshire Council stated there were plans for semi-permanent signals to be added in March and in the meantime it would arrange for existing signals to be monitored every day.

Residents and the Liberal Democrat councillor said, despite plenty of pressure, nothing had been done to repair the road.

Kidd said there had been "a significant number of near misses with traffic travelling in both ways down the single lane".

An urgent long-term solution was needed "before more of the road crumbles away and becomes impassable", she said.

'Frustrated drivers'

Shropshire Council apologised for the disruption and added there were "multiple slips which are undermining the road edge along a 900m section".

A number of lights were required and traffic control "over this distance is challenging", resulting in lengthy delays, a spokesperson said.

"These can be exacerbated, and understandably so, by frustrated drivers who sometimes 'run' red lights, causing the lights to reset."

Council engineers were sourcing signals that would work on a semi-permanent basis, off the electricity grid, until permanent repairs could take place, they added.

It was anticipated these signals would be installed about 10 March, subject to manufacture and connection to the grid.

The spokesperson said the council was investigating to ensure the valley remained open to traffic and so permanent repairs could take place over the summer.

It was anticipated road closures may be needed then, they added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.