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31/10/2010
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07/11/2010
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Welsh Bridge blog: part four
The next installment of local photo journalist, Richard Bishop's weekly blog keeping us up to date on the improvement works at Welsh Bridge. This week the roadworks seem to be causing some traffic problems in the town centre...
This week the pavements and refuges are practically finished and the installation team have moved in to wire and fit the new lights.
It's a complex job as one might imagine. Over 2,000 metres of cable and around 50 separate units are being woven on and around some 17 poles. They're like the ones over the other side of the Welsh Bridge with an extra set of raised red and green lights on the poles so that people can see what's happening if they're in the middle of a crowd waiting to get across the road.
The wave of discord about the traffic chaos as highlighted in the local media seems to be the flavour of this blog and I can sympathise with local residents, especially when some of the through traffic might be ignoring the warning signs and not using alternative routes around the town.
One Frankwell pensioner who walks into town every couple of days or so told me she's noticed the knock-on effect of the increased traffic-flow around the town streets. She said that she couldn't get across Roushill the other day so she back-tracked over the footbridge and went home the long way round. She says Bridge Street is so confusing at the moment.
A passing cyclist reckoned it was mayhem. She said the new system will be brilliant but at the moment its dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians trying to navigate across the roads right now.
Dawn Walder travels from Greenfields to work at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and she is put out that she has to use the car for the three mile journey which takes a tedious 20 minutes. She would like to use her bike to get along Smithfield Road to the Quarry and on to the RSH but reckons its too dangerous at the moment. Dawn welcomes the idea of using the new cycle route on her way to work but she is still dubious.
I spoke to a seasoned local cyclist who welcomes the Council's programme of cycling initiatives. However, he would like to see even more improvements. Although he admits that he would probably have done exactly what the Council are currently doing with regard to allocating money and resources; he mentioned the current debate about the need for lighting along Victoria Avenue in the Quarry and the need to maintain existing cycle routes and develop new schemes around the town. The way things are moving I don't think he will have to wait too long.
More from Richard next week.
Read part 3 here
Read part 2 here
Read part 1 here
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Comments (add your comment)
It's disapppointing
I cycle and drive a car and I find that cycling to and through town is far more pleasurable than sitting in the car.
I too am looking forward to these improvements and also hope for a greater degree of respect between different classes of road users.