Shropshire Council acknowledges the significant impact of closing Greyfriars Bridge in Shrewsbury for essential maintenance. They state this work is necessary to prevent more substantial and costly repairs in the future.
The council explained that the timing of the nine-week closure, from June 2nd to August 5th, is influenced by several critical factors.
These include the need for warmer temperatures required for paint curing, the aim to align a substantial portion of the work with the Coleham Primary School summer holiday, and a strict deadline of October 1st imposed by the Environment Agency due to the presence of salmon in the river and flood concerns.
Additionally, the work must be undertaken in phases to ensure the safety of both workers and the public, adding to the complexity of the project timeline.
Calls for Closure to be Paused
However, the planned closure has sparked considerable concern among local residents and businesses regarding its potential impact.
Shrewsbury BID has notably strengthened calls for the planned closure to be paused. In a statement issued today, it expressed strong support for reconsidering the plans.
“Whilst we of course understand the need to keep Greyfriars Bridge well maintained, urgent discussions are needed on the management and significant economic impacts of the proposed nine-week programme and closure of the bridge,” Shrewsbury BID stated.
Utilising two-way footfall monitoring data, Shrewsbury BID estimates that footfall during the proposed closure period would be around 52,000 people per week, equating to roughly 26,000 two-way trips weekly. By comparison, the total number of car parking transactions in all Shropshire Council car parks in Shrewsbury last summer was approximately 23,000 per week.
The organisation voiced significant concern that without proper alternatives, such as a river shuttle service, the lengthy diversion could lead to tens of thousands of non-essential journeys to and from the town centre not being made this summer. This, they warn, would severely impact businesses on both sides of the river during the crucial summer trading period.
Shrewsbury BID concluded by strongly supporting calls for the works to be paused to allow for alternative options to be considered and a comprehensive plan to be developed in conjunction with affected businesses and communities.
Shropshire Council maintains that it is currently evaluating the potential consequences of the closure and actively considering what mitigation measures can be achieved to alleviate the anticipated disruption.
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