A Shropshire Green Councillor has warned that a Shrewsbury road is ‘an accident waiting to happen’ after the council’s highways department has failed to keep it properly maintained.
Councillor Julia Evans, who represents the Radbrook ward on Shropshire Council, says local 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.
Councillor Evans said: “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.
“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.”
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. Poor highways maintenance has also led to issues, with a lack of suitable road markings.
Councillor Evans added: “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. 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 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 20 mile per hour 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.”
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