ROAD CHAOS AS UNADVERTISED ROAD REPAIRS APPEAR

Shropshire has been hit by a whole string of road repairs with little or no warning to communities. I some cases, not even the section of Shropshire Council which issues road repair permits knew they were going to happen.
Nigel Hartin, Shropshire Councillor for Clun, said: “Due largely to the chaotic relationship between Shropshire Council and the roads contractor KIER, an increasing number of road repairs are occurring at the ‘drop of a hat’ giving little of no warning to communities that road disruption is going to take place.
” For example, I only learned about some significant road work due on the B4367 near Bucknell second hand. It’s just not acceptable, given the disruption such work usually causes, that parish councils, local representatives, and residents are not told about what is going to happen.”
In Heather’s Division, the contractor started work without a permit in place. Heather said: “They simply closed the B4386 one morning without warning diverting traffic down narrow lanes (Aston Rogers and Aston Pigott). It was chaos. When I rang the Council it was news to them that this was happening!.
“Not only were HGVs diverted through small hamlets such as Aston Rogers but the operator of the scheduled bus service wasn’t told either.”
Cllr Ruth Houghton, Bishop’s Castle, concluded: “We are increasingly experiencing road closures with little or no notice and more worryingly road closures by Contractors without the knowledge and permission of Shropshire Council. These make life difficult for local residents who are unable to plan alternative routes and at this time of year cause big problems for farmers and our agricultural industry working hard to complete the harvest.
” It is, of course, good news that at long last some attention is being paid to some of our rural roads which have been neglected for far too long, but we do need to be kept up to date with road closures and planned works”
All three Councillors have put strong complaints into Shropshire Council in about this mode of working.