Extra safety measures on A49

Extra safety measures are to be put on the A49 in Bayston Hill after a lorry crashed into a pub and takeaway.

Temporary lights have been in place at the busy stretch of road near Shrewsbury following the incident that happened last November. Both the Three Fishes Pub and the adjacent Hong Kong City takeaway were damaged from the crash, with the pub set to be partially demolished.

Bayston Hill Parish Council’s Road Safety Working Group recently met with National Highways and an officer from West Mercia Police to highlight concerns people have about delays, speeding, unsuitable shortcuts and safety that have been caused by the temporary lights.

“We were able to collate all of our concerns and we were heartened that they already understood our frustrations and are acting on them,” said Councillor Mark Underwood.

“The recent crash has really brought home the dangers of the A49 which literally cuts Bayston Hill in half. We now hope to see measures taken by all agencies to improve safety for everyone.”

Joseph Walmsley, National Highways route manager, added: “We monitor safety on all our roads but have increased scrutiny of the A49 following the collision which has required temporary traffic management to protect road users.

“We also value input from people living and using our roads and had a very positive meeting with the parish council and our police partners.

“As a result, we will be looking at some additional safety measures such as new signage and vegetation clearance. We await the results of the police investigation to see if any further actions are required.”