A BURST water main caused the closure of a main road into Ludlow.

The closure caused major problems as vehicles tried to find an alternative way into town involving narrow country lanes.

The burst caused people coming into Ludlow to be late for the election hustings.

It also caused a diversion of bus services with people living in Rocks Green finding themselves without a bus service.

Buses were diverted to avoid the burst.

Andy Boddington, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow North says that the burst at the Rocks Green roundabout is not the first in the area.

It resulted in some people being caught out and having to try to find their way into Ludlow via the narrow Squirrel Lane, made worse by heavy rain and mud.

Apart from some passing places Squirrel Lane is not wide enough for two vehicles to pass.

The major pipe burst was by the Rocks Green roundabout.

“This is not the first,” said Mr Boddington.

“The pipework is clapped out after decades of neglect by Severn Trent Water.

The company has never bothered one jot about how much disruption it causes for its works.”

As a consequence, he said that the road that people use to get to Ludlow from the direction of Kidderminster and the West Midlands was closed for important shopping days ahead of Christmas.

This resulted in a complaint from Mr Boddington and other local councillors.

He said that the work was not an emergency and should not have been agreed because of the disruption that would be caused during the day.

“It is classified as an emergency. It is not,” he said.

“The pipe burst was an emergency. That is over.

“The road and pavement must be reinstated.

“This kind of work should be done overnight and on Sundays.

“There is no need for a full road closure for three days. There is no need to block bus routes.”