Traffic light upgrade set to reduce congestion near Shrewsbury station

Traffic light upgrade set to reduce congestion near Shrewsbury station

Congestion in the railway station area of Shrewsbury is set to ease when new software is installed on the traffic lights in the area.

During the work in the station gyratory area Shropshire Council and its contractors have worked hard to minimise queues and congestion where possible, with regular visits by signals engineers to adjust timings on both the temporary and permanent lights.

However, congestion is set to ease when new software is installed on the traffic lights in the area. The sophisticated traffic signal control system called MOVA - Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation - uses vehicle detectors and wireless technology to continuously assess traffic conditions and adjust signal timings, minimizing delays. It will also allow the lights to be synced.

Once the lights have been upgraded it is likely that congestion issues will ease, though the council will continue to monitor the situation for a short time afterwards.

The upgrade is set to be carried out from Monday 29 September [2025], although there are some final below-ground traffic detectors required under the road surface along Smithfield Road towards the bus station.

If the signals can be partially commissioned, this will take place, but the work may need to be co-ordinated with the final installation of the detectors so that the whole of the gyratory is synchronised and operating properly.

The council is aware of concerns over potential delays to emergency services due to congestion issues. However, we have been in contact with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service and aren't aware of any issues raised by them, or by the other emergency services, in recent days. The emergency services are consulted on changes to the road network as a matter of course. Nevertheless, the software upgrade will improve the situation.