A41 Closure concerns expressed

Residents told a public meeting their fears about heavy lorries using rural lanes when a busy A-road is closed for resurfacing.

Work is set to begin on the final two-week phase of roadworks on the A41 north of Newport from August 4 and residents in village communities spoke of their concerns.

“There will be no soft closures on the south side of the A41,” said one resident worried that sat nav systems will still show rural roads open on the Childs Ercall side of the Telford-to-Chester road.

“They are going to come down our little road and lorries won’t be able to get across the bridges. It is going to be worse this time.”

Residents recalled experiences from 2023 when roadworks led to chaos on rural roads, and to a lesser extent in June this year.

So-called ‘soft closures’ mean that sat navs show certain routes as closed and the plan is to use them north of the A41 in the Sambrook area.

An officer representing Telford & Wrekin Council, who did not wish to be named, told the meeting that the more ‘soft closures’ were used, the more the issues would be pushed to other areas.

“The wider you go, the wider you push the problem,” he said. “None of the roads are suitable.”

The A41 will be closed between the Telford/Shropshire boundary and Forton Roundabout with a long diversion route via the A53, the A442 and the A518. Access will be maintained for the emergency services, residents and local businesses.

The meeting was told a piece of ‘good news’ that the closure would be from 7am to 4pm for 10 days, and not the originally planned full 24-hour closure.

“In the afternoon we are hoping to get the works done and open by the evening rush,” said a council representative. “The road is quiet enough at 7am for the road to be closed off.”

But he added that the times could be extended if the weather or other problems intervened.

Residents remain concerned that local people who know of the shorter routes will use unsuitable lanes instead and try to put their foot down.

Mitch Randle, of Randle Building, said: “It’s going to happen, they have got to do the work.

“But you can’t put signage out for irresponsible drivers. Signs or not, they will speed.”

Mr Randle has 50 drivers who turn up for work at his Sandford Bridge base, which is within the roadworks area. He asked the council representatives to find an easy way for them to access the site.

The council representative agreed to see if they could address this and other concerns about the roadworks.

One soft fruit farmer, who did not want to be named, said the roadworks were happening during his harvest time and asked if the works could be phased to help.

Other residents called for more signs to be in place, and for them to be regularly checked.

There were also concerns about works contractors being abused by drivers while they are doing their jobs and then being put off speaking to motorists at roadworks barriers.

Residents also suggested giving maps of diversion routes to lorry drivers who do not speak English, and working with Shropshire Council to put signs up on their side of the border, including at the Tern Hill roundabout.

Telford & Wrekin Councillor Stephen Burrell (Conservative, Edgmond) had called the meeting at Sambrook Village Hall on Monday to give residents the chance to quiz representatives of the council.

“This really is the final, final, ever planned phase, at least for two decades,” said Councillor Burrell.

The meeting was told that the previous major resurfacing roadworks on that part of the A41 had been done in 2007, and the road is now ‘worn out’.

Councillor Burrell said he believed that Telford & Wrekin Council is listening to local feedback.

“The closure in 2023 was not a good closure at all, and this hall was more packed than it is now. In my view they have taken views on board.

“I hope you will believe that the works in June this year were better planned and informed and more reactive to concerns. I was updated at the end of every day and fed that back to residents.”

He added: “There are many who think their views go unheard and their concerns unaddressed.”

He said he hopes that the meeting proves that not to be the case and encouraged people to continue to give him and the council feedback.

“It is my job to represent you and I have done just that,” he said.