I don’t believe this. It does not accord with the facts. It will be a closure on Frday and Saturday only.
(In an earlier version of the article, the headline read that the roads would be closed to 7pm. Apologies.)
On Friday, Shropshire Council said King Street and High Street would be closed in the middle of the day seven days a week. That’s despite the portfolio holder for transport, Steve Davenport telling councillors that the closure would be just Fridays and Saturdays. And would only apply to King Street.
That’s what will all think will be the case. But Shropshire Council has published details of the seven day road closures. Either highways officers don’t know what is going on or the cabinet doesn’t know what is going on.
Does anyone in Shropshire Council know what is going on? A senior manager of highways this afternoon, three days after the issue was raised, said: “I’m talking this through with colleagues as I type, then I will update later by email, and then intend to call later or first thing in the morning in order to ensure all are aware and any solution is shared and hopefully agreed by all.”
Make of that what you will. We have only been asking for the correct information to be put out.
This is not the only problem we face on road closures in Ludlow. Last week, signs were put up on Brand Lane saying it would be closed for all this week. It is only closed on Tuesday for delayed gas works. At my request, officers have asked for the signs to be corrected urgently.
It is about time someone in the cabinet got a grip on highways. The council has received £11.6m of funding for pothole repairs. That’s welcome. We can see the evidence of the funding on roads and streets around us, even if the repairs on Parys Road are failing after just a few weeks. But that funding has created a smokescreen hiding the broader problems of highways management and maintenance.
Shropshire Council highways operation has been starved of resources after a £10m cut in its budget over two years. The current portfolio holder voted for those cuts wounding his department and demoralising his staff.
Who in the cabinet will get a grip on Shropshire’s highways?