Roads and Traffic Management
Road Maintenance & Gritting
Pot-holes, blocked gullies and associated road surface problems have become increasingly common along the roads and lanes of the parish as Borough Council budgetary pressures have grown.
The Parish Council maintains constant pressure on Telford & Wrekin Highways Department to repair these defects which are both potentially dangerous and damaging to vehicles, although the timescale from report to action is often more extended than anyone would wish.
The Parish Council should be notified of any problems encountered so they can be added to its regular report to Highways. To apply even greater pressure to the Borough, Telford & Wrekin Council should also be contacted directly.
Contact Telford & Wrekin Road Maintenance 01952 384000
Winter Gritting
The Borough still officially confines routine gritting to a single access to Little Wenlock village – along the Horsehay road, round the bottom of the village, along Church Lane and down Malthouse Bank. The gritter is out in the early hours whenever frost is forecast, so this route is generally reasonably safe.
Perennial pressure from the Parish Council appears to have led Wellington Road from the Huntsman pub towards The Wrekin and down Willowmoor Bank to have been added to the gritting route from 2005/6.
However, there remains some doubt over whether this is a regular commitment, so particular care should be taken when using this notoriously treacherous route out of the village on frosty mornings.
2008/2009 was one of the worst winters in many years. Temperatures plummeted resulting in the number of days gritters were required to go out up threefold on previous years. We then saw heavy snowfall in the first two weeks of February which meant already dwindling salt and grit stocks were again in great demand. The council and highways agency did a great job under the circumstances with regular gritting of most of the roads in the parish, and more roads cleared of snow than seen in previous years
Any problems should be reported to the Parish Council.
Contact Edward Roberts 01952 505102
Traffic Management
The problem of excessive traffic speeds on the narrow lanes of the parish in general and through Little Wenlock village in particular has become increasingly apparent in recent years; especially so along Wellington Road which is being used as a rat-run by growing numbers of non-residents.
In 2005, the Parish Council was able to secure a traffic calming scheme for the village, involving gateway features at the 30 mph signs on all four main entrances to the village with Dragon's Teeth road markings and cobbled road imprints; further cobbled imprints on Wellington Road; and, marking of the entire length of road within the village with white lines along each edge to create a visual narrowing.
Speeding drivers have always been a concern within the Parish of Little Wenlock. The concerns have been over the speed of traffic along Wellington Road in Little Wenlock village and the high speed of some vehicles on the rural roads and narrow rural lanes.
The Parish Council is very aware of everyone’s concern about excessive speeds by vehicles within the parish and its communities. This was one of the issues raised at the Parish Plan Open Meeting on 10th November 2008.
Whilst we have some traffic calming in place and the speed indicator sign on a rotating basis the Parish Council sought ideas as to what else it could do to remind drivers that there is a 30 mph speed limit within our communities. One of the ideas put forward was to place 30 mph signs on our wheelie bins. At least once a week that would remind everyone driving through our communities that there is a 30 mph speed limit.
Both the West Mercia Police and Telford and Wrekin Highways department think that this is a good idea.
The Parish Council has purchased 250 reflective 8” adhesive 30 mph signs that can be stuck onto the side of wheelie bins. Households on the main through routes ( Wellington Road, Malthouse Bank, Spout Lane, Church Lane, Huntington Lane and New Works Lane) will each be given two signs, one for the refuse bin and one for the green bin. Place one sign on each bin, preferably on the side of the bin facing the on-coming traffic, so that it can clearly be seen by motorists.
If everyone does this then there will be a constant reminder to all road users of the speed limits within our community.
Traffic Speeding and Rural Roads – Review 2010
Two of the major concerns expressed by Little Wenlock residents at the Parish Open Meeting held on 26th April 2010, related to speeding traffic along Wellington Road and the condition of road surfaces.
Similar comments were received from recent replies to the 2012 - 2022 Parish Plan review.
The issues which are currently being considered by the Parish Council can be summarised as :
- Installation of permanent flashing speed indicators
- Majority of residents and PC are not in favour of the installation of larger speed bumps or chicanes in Wellington Rd at the edge of village.
- Installation of “Gateways” in Wellington Rd at the edge of village.
- Reduce speed limits on all unclassified roads to 40 mph.
- Move 30 mph signs further away from village, in order to facilitate the use of speed cameras.
- Mirror to be placed at junction of Huntington Lane and Malthouse Bank.
- Introduction of “Quiet Lanes” around the Wrekin ( Not including Wellington Rd ).
- Provision of a mini roundabout at Forest Glen junction, by Wrekin entrance.
- Yellow Lines painted adjacent to Wrekin entrance, to prevent dangerous car parking.
Responses have been received from Telford and Wrekin Council to the maintenance of various roads throughout the village.
- Pothole repairs have been carried out in line with local requests and T & W surveys
- Major road maintenance to Church Lane, Buildwas Lane and Coalbrookdale Lane will commence on 5th July 2010
At the Parish Council meeting to be held on 12th July 2010, Stuart Freeman – Telford and Wrekin Council Service Delivery Manager for Highways and Transport, will attend to discuss the range of options under consideration.
