Oswestry street barriers can be removed after community calls

Shropshire Council said it was aware barriers on Church Street had "caused a significant amount of frustration"

Some barriers separating the path and road can be removed from a town street after people called for them to go.

Oswestry Business Improvement District (BID) said it had been disappointing to deal with delays to work on Church Street and it had listened to businesses who had been unhappy.

BID, Shropshire Council and Oswestry Town Council have agreed improvements.

The county council said it had dealt with concerns "with the highest priority".

Barriers, also known as hogs, were installed during the Covid-19 pandemic, following recovery grant funding from the government.

During the pandemic, Oswestry BID committed £100,000 to pay for enhancement work on Church Street.

Shropshire Council said following recent calls from the community to remove hogs, the FOG group, made up of the two councils and BID, had worked "to find a safe, agreeable solution".

The final scheme has now been agreed and some barriers have already been removed.

Support appreciated

Other activity was due to start within the next week, Shropshire Council stated on Tuesday.

A recent road safety audit concluded hogs could be removed at the north end of the street, but some barriers must remain near Festival Square for traffic safety purposes.

Church Street can be resurfaced this September and following this, temporary planters will be fixed into a permanent position.

Oswestry BID manager Adele Nightingale said it had "worked so hard" and appreciated support from the town council and MP Helen Morgan.

Shropshire Council cabinet member for culture and digital and member of the Future Oswestry Group (FOG) Robert Macey said: "We're aware the current hogs on Church Street have caused a significant amount of frustration within the Oswestry community."

He added it was hoped visualisations of what the road would look like after resurfacing would be shared with the public soon.

Oswestry mayor Olly Rose said she was "pleased that the hogs will be removed".