PROPOSAL
TO ‘VILLAGE PLAN COMMITTEE’, SAMdev AND SHROPSHIRE COUNCIL
“Albrighton
Traffic - a PLANNED APPROACH is needed”
Albrighton
and District Civic Society has identified a number of inter-related traffic management problems in its area, (this includes Albrighton, Donington, Cosford and Boningale) and
proposed solutions at various times, including in its response to the
SAMDev exercise. We are aware that the Parish Councils have also expressed
concern in certain respects. The purpose of this letter is to bring them together, and to ask for preparation
of a planned approach from Shropshire Council to address the subject
in a comprehensive fashion. We believe it to be important that residents and their representatives are aware
that their difficulties are being tackled, albeit over an extended time
scale, and that unnecessary expenditure on partial schemes is avoided.
The
problems that have been identified are:-
a)
Disturbance
to residents, nuisance to other road users and road safety concerns,
especially to children, caused by heavy goods vehicles traversing the
village, particularly along Cross Road, High Street, and
along
Rectory Road (to avoid the railway bridges) to and from the A464, the
A41 and
the M54.
b)
Traffic
speeds at various points including Newport Road, Cross Road and from
time to time along the High Street.
c)
Road
safety concerns along Bowling Green Lane from Elm Road to the A464, passing
David Austin Roses entrance. The concerns here are that the lane is very
narrow with blind bends, and that Austins, a major
employer in Shropshire
with an international reputation, is now anticipating a 10% pa increase
in visitor
numbers, many of whom will travel via the M54 or the A41,
then along the very dangerous section of
Bowling Green Lane from the
Elm Road junction See also e) below.
d)
Parking
problems, especially at the railway station, at two primary schools,
the surgery and near shops.
e)
Road
congestion in the town centre. This will be exacerbated by the construction
of new homes – around
120 have at least outline planning permission and
200 are included in the SC Preferred Options scenario.
Meanwhile, local
traders via the SC scheme to support market towns are about to install
notice boards at
a number of local visitor attractions directing tourists
to the shops and services in the village (these sites
include the Air
Museums at Cosford, Boscobel, and David Austin Roses). Albrighton Parish
Council has
also stepped up its efforts to increase tourist visits.
Among
the solutions identified locally, are:
f)
That
developers of the “white land” be required to provide access direct to
the A41 to minimise the number
of vehicles travelling through the village
centre en route to the motorway etc.
g)
Zebra
crossings be installed at appropriate points along High Street as a means
of improving safety for the elderly, and slowing down traffic.
h)
Elimination
of the blind bends on Bowling Green Lane, widening it, and providing
a footpath/cycling lane as far as Old Worcester Road.
i)
Reviewing
speed limits on Cross Road, plus measures to slow vehicles on the Newport
Road approaches to the village.
j)
The
construction of a north-south bypass linking the A464 to the A41/M54,
possibly with access to David Austin Roses.
We
appreciate that money for road improvements is tight at the moment.
But because that could change if the Government so decides for employment
or other reasons, we feel that preparation of a comprehensive plan for traffic management and road construction/improvement
for this area is an important step to take now, so should be part of
the Albrighton Neighbourhood Plan and the SAMDev response.
Copyright (c) 2013 ALBRIGHTON and DISTRICT CIVIC SOCIETY