“It’s frustrating but there is not much we can do about it.” That’s the message from Tracey Huffer, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow East after an essential road safety scheme outside Ludlow Primary School on Sandpits Road was been delayed by several months. The delay is likely to last several months but there is some good news.
Tracey explains:
“Councillors and school governors have been pressing for a road safety scheme outside Ludlow Primary School for years. In the spring we agreed with Shropshire Council that a raised platform would be put in place outside the school to slow traffic down. White and yellow lines would be refreshed and the uneven pavement outside the newly built Beech Gardens would be levelled up. The work was due to take place in September or October this year.
“This vital project has now delayed by several months by the Severn Trent Water Ludlow Whitefriars Flood Alleviation scheme. There have been frequent problems with flooding in the bungalows in Whitefriars near the school for a while. Severn Trent Water (STW) must sort this out. That means putting in new surface and foul water systems along 340 metres of Sandpits Road, including outside the school. Electricity cables and gas pipes will have to be moved at the same time to allow the STW works.
“If the road safety scheme had been completed on the planned timetable, it would now have to be dug up and reinstated, so it is better delayed until the utilities work is complete. No dates have yet been given but we expect the work to be complete by summer 2020.
“There are yellow zig zags outside the school to discourage people parking by the school gates. But these lines are not legally enforceable. I will be asking Shropshire Council to put in place a traffic order at the same time the safety scheme is installed to ensure that parking in this zone is an offence.
“There is good news.
“STW has agreed to build the raised plateau as part of their work on Sandpits Road. That will reduce disruption outside the school itself and get the plateau in place more quickly.
“Western Power Distribution (WPD) has its depot at the end of Sandpits Road. That generates a lot of landrover and other traffic outside the school. WPD now has permission to build a new depot out of town near the Eco Park. That will cut heavy traffic along Sandpits Road.
“It is disappointing this this important safety scheme has been delayed. But we will end up with long lasting improvements for both Whitefriars and Ludlow Primary School.”