Works at Pendlestone and High Rock

Essential rock face inspections, and the construction of a safety fence, at Pendlestone and High Rock along the A442 will be starting on the 8 September for three weeks.

On behalf of Apley Estate, Jacobs Engineering UK Ltd will be combining their two yearly rock face inspection of Pendlestone and High Rock, with the building of a 30 metre long 2 metre high catch fence at Fort Pendlestone. These works are being undertaken to protect the users of the A442.

A road closure will be in place for five days starting on the 8 September during off peak hours (9.30am to 4.00pm), in order to carry out the inspection and start constructing the fence. Outside of these off peak hours and for the remainder of the three weeks the road will be reduced to one lane and 24 hour traffic signals will be in place. A specialist traffic manager will be employed to manually operate these lights at peak times to keep any disruption to a minimum.

Controlled access for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders will remain throughout the work.

During the five day road closure vehicles will be diverted along the B4363 Hermitage Hill, A454 Wolverhampton Road to Royal Oak Island, Rudge Heath, B4176 to Sutton Maddock Island, south on A442 and vice versa.

HGVs should use an alternative route as a 7.5 tonne weight restriction is in place on Hermitage Hill. HGV’s should travel, south on A442 to Kidderminster Road Island, A458 Stourbridge Road to Green Lane Island, A454 Green Lane, A454 Wolverhampton Road to Royal Oak Island, Rudge Heath, B4176 to Sutton Maddock, south on A442 and vice versa.

Shropshire County Council has been working with Jacobs to co-ordinate these works and will be taking this opportunity to carry out routine maintenance works on this road during the closure, to prevent future disruption.

John Everall, Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: “We apologise for any inconvenience these essential works will cause. We appreciate that there are many roadworks taking place around Bridgnorth at the moment, however the programming of these works at this time has been unavoidable as these works must be completed before the winter period.

“We have co-ordinated this scheme with our own maintenance works to ensure that future disruption is minimised. These inspections and works are necessary to ensure the continuing safety of users of the A442.”

27 August 2008