Cycle lane to be trialled on English Bridge, Shrewsbury

We are currently investigating the real impacts of installing cycle lanes on the English Bridge in Shrewsbury. To understand whether this is feasible, we are trialling a cycle lane on the bridge (out of town only) from Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July 2009.

This trial will involve coning off one lane of traffic out of town for a small length along the bridge. Cyclists will continue to have access to both lanes and bus passengers will still be able to use the bus stop. The council’s advance monitoring has shown that this trial will have a minimal impact on traffic queues.

Although our research shows that this essential trial will have little impact on traffic queues, we are apologising in advance for any disruption this may cause.

If the trial proves to be a success, a future scheme would have advisory cycle lanes on both sides of the road and single traffic lanes into and out of town.

The cycle lanes were suggested as part of a safety review of the English Bridge and adjacent gyratory system, undertaken in May 2008. This review also noted that the removal of one traffic lane will help to prevent the short bursts of acceleration which occur at present as vehicles travel over English Bridge. Also as two vehicles wait to enter the gyratory from the English Bridge the off side vehicle ‘masks’ the view of traffic on the gyratory for the near side vehicle creating a hazardous situation.

The trial is an effective way for planners and engineers to assess the real impacts of adding cycle lanes and reducing the number of out-of-town traffic lanes, and avoids the need to undertaking traffic modelling work. The trial will be set up by staff from Shropshire Council’s engineering consultants, Mouchel, and contractors, Enterprise.

Please email cycle.shrewsbury@shropshire.gov.uk if you have any comments or views on the trial or cycle lane proposals.