Gyratory 'could have slowed crews at fatal fire'

A chief fire officer is proposing changes to a controversial town centre road layout, which he said could have delayed crews attending a fatal house fire.

Simon Hardiman of Shropshire Fire Service said he would be "concerned" about delays if the fire off Castle Street, Shrewsbury, had taken place in the afternoon rather than the early hours.

Rose Roberts, 81, died in the fire at Perches House which happened at about 03:30 GMT on 27 January.

The fire chief said traffic flow under the town's railway bridge had already improved thanks to traffic light phasing changes, but physical improvements could also be made on safety grounds.

Shrewsbury fire station and the force headquarters is on St Michael's Street, a few hundred metres from the gyratory, with the town centre beyond it.

Hardiman has written to Shropshire Council, suggesting that a system known as Green Wave could be introduced, to allow signals to automatically change in favour of emergency crews.

He also said funding could be applied for to alter the layout of the controversial cycle lane and "floating" bus stop under the bridges, to allow fire crews to pass.

The officer added that the letter was not trying to tell the council what to do but to be "supportive" to the highways authority.

The new road layout in the area caused long delays when it first came into operation last year, prompting anger from motorists.

The BBC also found the island for bus passengers between the traffic and cycle lanes was too narrow.

A Shropshire Council panel reviewed the implementation of the scheme, but concluded changing it could be complex and costly.

The panel chair, councillor Ed Potter, said in December it was not as simple as making significant changes or altering the gyratory back to its original form.

"The financial implications for Shropshire Council in its perilous financial situation would be significant, to make changes to an external government grant," he said.

The council's Liberal Democrat administration said it had been "let down" by contractors on the scheme.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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