Dual the A5 campaign: Top-level talks on future of key Shropshire road
Top level national talks will be held this week on making the A5 through Shropshire dual carriageway.
Experts from Highways England and the Midlands Connect group will meet MPs and top councillors for round-the-table talks on improving the major trunk road.
It is the latest good news for the Shropshire Star’s Dual It! campaign which is calling on the Government to make money available to build a safer and better road for the people of Shropshire and beyond.
A bid is being prepared by Shropshire Council for funding from the Roads Investment Strategy pot to begin the task of dualling the A5 from the north of Shrewsbury to the Welsh border at Chirk from 2020 onwards.
The government is investing billions of pounds in improving Britain’s strategic road network, which includes the A5, and is calling for bids for money for its second programme which begins in just two years time.
The road is part of the Trans-European Highway connecting ports in the south of England to Holyhead and over to Ireland with the stretch in Shropshire the only single-carriageway section.
North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson said the high-level meeting at the Shirehall on Friday showed how important the road was nationally.
This is very early stages but we are making good progress,” he said.
"We do not yet have a route yet but I am working with Councillor Steve Davenport, Shropshire's portfolio holder for Highways and Transport, to build up a bid for funding.
“News that Chris Grayling retained his position as transport secretary in the cabinet re-shuffle was great for the project as we have had several meetings and he knows the importance of the A5 to the national infrastructure."
Midlands Connect is a regional body looking at improving communication and infrastructure links to help drive economic growth and power the Midlands Engine economic area.
About 5,000 people have signed the Shropshire Star’s Dual It campaign - you can sign it here.
