Shropshire councillor welcomes leader's pledge to make fixing potholed roads a 'priority'
A councillor who has been campaigning for better roads for years has welcomed the new leader of Shropshire Council's pledge to make fixing highways a "priority".
Dave Tremellen, who represents Highley as an Independent on Shropshire Council, said it was "about time" someone took charge of repairing and maintaining the county's notoriously potholed roads.
Councillor Tremellen added that he hoped a change in highways leadership would not result in proposed work being rescheduled.
It comes after Councillor Lezley Picton was officially elected as leader of the authority on Thursday and Steve Charmley took over from Steve Davenport as head of highways.
After winning the majority of votes from her fellow Conservatives to head Shropshire Council as the first female leader earlier this week, Councillor Picton said sorting the county's roads out would be the "number one priority".
Beating acting leader Steve Charmley, Councillor Picton replaced former leader Peter Nutting – who suffered a shock defeat and was voted out in this month's local elections.
Councillor Tremellen said: "Of course I welcome the news that fixing the roads will be made a priority.
"I welcome this commitment but I am reserved as to whether it will be fulfilled.
"If Councillor Picton means what she says then I look forward to getting all the work that has previously been pulled from Highley done."
Councillor Tremellen said a large programme of road repairs due to take place in Highley during September 2017 was postponed due to emergency work needing to take place in Shifnal. He said that they were later cancelled and the work is yet to take place.
He added: "My other concern is that as a review of the highways has been issued, I hope this doesn't mean everything scheduled already will come to a halt."
Kier has scheduled road repairs in Highley to take place from July 12 to July 23.
It comes after Highley Medical Practice was under threat last year when locum doctors refused to travel along the potholed B4555 to get there.
The assistant practice manager wrote to Councillor Tremellen for help.
They said their usual covering staff were instead choosing to work in other practices that were safer to travel to.
Councillor Tremellen said it was a "crazy" situation.
