Hospital Transformation Programme at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
Further to an Interim Stage 3 Road Safety Audit carried out in August 2024, TMS conducted a Stage 3 Road Safety Audit in March 2025, on behalf of Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, associated with extensive amendments to the internal road and footway network, which were required as part of the Hospital Transformation Programme.
The Hospital Transformation Programme is a multi-million pound investment which will improve care for everyone through modern, purpose-built facilities and to ensure more people get the care they need. The project involves refurbishing, remodelling and extending the existing Emergency Department at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, along with constructing a new hospital design. Construction work is well underway to build a new four-storey building, which will provide the space they need to start new ways of working.
The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital currently faces challenges stemming from its gradual growth, leading to problems with movement, navigation and departmental arrangements throughout the site. The new design aims to solve these problems by creating a thoughtful and organised hospital facility. This includes better layouts for departments, improved paths for movement and enhanced orientation areas. Additionally, the project prioritises creating distinct entrances and enhancing the overall site layout through improved landscaping.
The planned opening is expected to happen in 2028.
The Works
At the time of our commission, the amendments to the internal road and footway network which were constructed included a new realigned spine road accessed from the roundabout with Mytton Oak Road, a new footpath to the east side of spine road and a new, operational, one-way system around part of the site.
In addition to this, a new vehicular exit was created from the hospital (in the late afternoon) via Racecourse Lane, relocated visitor and staff car parking areas and various amendments to the car park accesses and management to suit the new realigned spine road and associated virtual footway separated from traffic by water filled barriers.
The internal hospital roads are privately managed and maintained. They are street lit and are subject to a signed 20mph zone. As part of the works the speed limit will be reduced to 10mph on the internal hospital roads.
Interim Stage 3 Road Safety Audit
Assessments
During the Interim Stage 3 Road Safety Audit, concerns about road safety were raised by the Trust that despite some temporary signage being introduced, pedestrians were not using the virtual footway which is separated from traffic by water filled barriers and instead were walking on the spine road where they are exposed to vehicles.
Recommendation
After monitoring pedestrian movements on site, the Audit Team considered that there were three overriding factors which were resulting in pedestrians walking on the spine road.
The first being that all of the car parks are located on the opposite side of the spine road to the main hospital. Thus, the pedestrian desire was to cross the road as soon as possible.
As there are no footways present on the opposite side of the spine road to the car parks for significant sections, the second factor and thus a recommendation was to provide improved pedestrian wayfinding signage from the car parks.
The third factor was that at one of the primary pedestrian crossing points of the spine road, it is unclear for pedestrians where the route continues on the opposite side of the road due to the provision of an information kiosk booth obscuring the view of the route. Thus, pedestrians were walking on the spine road. It was recommended that the crossing was upgraded to a Zebra type with associated Belisha beacons with enhanced pedestrian signage. The Trust subsequently advised that the information booth was planned to be relocated.
Stage 3 Road Safety Audit
Assessments
Following completion of the works in December 2024, concerns about road safety were raised by the Trust that some vehicles were travelling the wrong way on the one-way section of road around the site, despite new signage and road markings being introduced.
Recommendation
After a comprehensive walk through of the scheme, the Audit Team recommended that amendments to the location of some signs and the sign faces of some others may encourage greater compliance with the one-way system.
If you have a scheme of this nature that requires a Road Safety Audit, then please call us on +44 (0)24 7669 0900 or alternatively please email Lorna Styring or request a quote using the link below.