Raven Meadows in Shrewsbury will be raised by up to 100mm to create a new raised table pedestrian crossing. The work takes place overnight from 8pm to 6am on weeknights between 21 October and 4 November 2026.
Kier Infrastructure is carrying out the scheme for Shropshire Council. The raised table will run across the full width of the carriageway, measuring about 9m long including the ramps. The height will vary between 65mm and 100mm.
Two weeks of night closures keep daytime traffic moving
To complete the work, Raven Meadows will fully close during night hours. Weekday traffic will have to follow signed diversion routes while the one-way system on the street is suspended. This temporary switch permits two-way access at one end to maintain entry to the adjacent hotel, multi-storey car park and local businesses.
Pedestrians, cyclists dismounted from their bikes, and horse riders retain their access throughout. Emergency vehicles with blue lights also maintain unrestricted passage. Delivery vehicles to The Darwin shopping centre will be routed via the nearby bus station.
Shropshire Council advises that no vehicles should be parked on the road during working hours as this obstructs progress and delays the job.
Physical design slows vehicles, improves pedestrian access
A raised table is a flat-topped speed hump with ramps leading up and down. Drivers cross the plateau at reduced speeds because of the change in elevation. The table extends from kerb to kerb, so vehicles cannot bypass it as they might a speed cushion placed between lanes.
This physical feature removes the need for traffic signals or police enforcement. It slows vehicles and lifts the carriageway height close to the kerb level, making crossing easier for wheelchair users and those pushing buggies. Despite the pedestrian focus, drivers have no legal duty to stop unless someone is already on the crossing.
Drainage is critical when raising the carriageway
Raising a street requires careful drainage design. Changing the road profile affects how surface water runs off. The raised table, ramps and existing gullies must work together to prevent water pooling where pedestrians cross.
Shropshire Council has not publicly detailed the construction method. However, coordinating drainage with elevating the full carriageway width is typically the most complex aspect in such schemes.
New crossing fits Shrewsbury’s evolving town centre
The street has seen significant change. In September 2024, two footbridges over Raven Meadows were removed as part of the Smithfield Riverside regeneration. These footbridges previously linked shopping centres with the multi-storey car park.
The new raised table facilitates pedestrian movement at ground level, aligning with the removal of overhead crossings and changes to the local environment. The council issued a public notice about the scheme in June 2026, with a consultation period closing in early July.
For motorists, the permanent impact after 4 November is limited to a new raised feature encouraging slower speeds. Night-time users during the works should follow diversion signs and note the temporary two-way vehicle access.
The project highlights the planning and detail required to install a relatively short, nine-metre stretch of raised road designed to improve safety and access on a busy town-centre street.
