“An accident waiting to happen” says councillor

A Shropshire councillor has warned that a road near Shrewsbury is ‘an accident waiting to happen’ and has accused the highways department in failing to properly maintain it.

Councillor Julia Evans (Green, Radbrook), says residents have repeatedly raised concerns with her about the state of the road with an increase in near misses at the roundabout since new houses were built at Radbrook Village.

“Radbrook residents have told me real horror stories about the number of near accidents along this stretch of road, which is why I am calling on

Shropshire Council to urgently take action before something serious happens,” said Cllr Evans.

“Several issues are coming together to turn this into a really dangerous spot. There’s an increase in traffic due to the Radbrook Village development, yet the council hasn’t upgraded traffic calming measures to match it.

“Residents tell me that drivers heading north on the main road frequently do not slow down and give way to cars leaving Radbrook Village due to the roundabout’s bad design.”

Cllr Evans added that the roundabout’s position – set back from the main road and with one exit obscured by the wall marking the boundary that runs into Lady Herbert Way – means it isn’t visible to traffic heading north on the road until the last moment (see photos). Poor highways maintenance has also led to issues, with a lack of suitable road markings, she said.

“The Conservative administration’s decision to make deep cuts to services is having a real impact on the safety of roads like this across the town,” said Cllr Evans.

“On Radbrook Road, the ‘SLOW’ warning sign painted onto the tarmac is now so old and worn it’s practically unreadable. Meanwhile, the vehicle activated speed warning sign is obscured by the trees when they are in leaf.

“By letting our roads fall into disrepair like this, the Conservative administration is risking people’s lives.

“In the short term, we need essential maintenance work – repaint the road and ensure the warning signs are visible. In the longer term, I’m urging the council to consider introducing a 20mph limit on this narrow road to reduce the danger to motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

“There’s no good reason why this stretch should be allowed to be treated as a racing strip. If the council doesn’t act soon we’re going to see a tragedy happen.”

A Shropshire Council spokesperson said: “We’re currently looking into the numerous concerns raised in relation to Radbrook Road and will be able to respond once we have investigated and reviewed these issues.”