The scheme has seen the construction of 2 ponds which catch and store water that could otherwise flood properties, businesses and roads in the town. One pond is on the Sytche Brook to the north west of the town and the other is on the Shylte Brook to the south west.

The ponds, which will usually be empty, will fill during times of heavy rain. The collected water will then be released in a controlled manner so that flood risk downstream is reduced. The ponds, which are now fully operational, will drain down sufficiently quickly so that repeat rainfall events can be stored in a similar manner.

The scheme also includes the restoration of Westwood Quarry on Stretton Road.

The flood scheme was supported by the Environment Agency and funded through Flood Defence Grant in Aid by the Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, local developer contributions and Shropshire Council. Work was carried out by the contractor Griffiths.

Dave Edwards, Senior Adviser at the Environment Agency, said:

The Much Wenlock flood alleviation scheme is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through partnership working. Much Wenlock has a long history of flooding so it’s great to see the finished project protecting properties, businesses and roads in the town. We’ll continue to work closely with both the council and the community in the future.

Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

I’m delighted that work on this important scheme has now been completed, and that dozens of homes and businesses in Much Wenlock are now at far less risk from flooding than they have been in the past.

Between 2015 to 2021, Government is investing £2.5 billion in flood and coastal erosion risk management projects which will reduce the risk of flooding from rivers, the sea, groundwater and surface water for at least 300,000 homes.

For information about the insolvency process contact the Insolvency Enquiry Line during office hours (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday). We can give you general information about: insolvency, what official receivers do and where you can go to get the information or advice you need.

We can’t give you: legal or financial advice, information on specific insolvency cases, information or advice on matters directly relating to other government departments.

Neil will be a member of the High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd executive team and report directly to Chief Executive, Mark Thurston.

The Government has reappointed Professor Ian Bateman and Professor Colin Galbraith as Independent Members of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) for second terms. The reappointments will take effect from 1 November 2017 for four years.

All appointments to the JNCC are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. The appointment complies with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. Professor Bateman and Professor Galbraith have not declared any significant political activity during the past five years.

The JNCC was established in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006) as a non-departmental public body. The JNCC advises the UK Government and Devolved Administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales on UK-wide and international nature conservation.

Remuneration is £9,836 per annum based on a time commitment of 2½ days per month.

Professor Ian Bateman OBE

Professor Ian Bateman is a Professor of Environmental Economics and Director of the Land, Environment, Economics and Policy (LEEP) Institute at the University of Exeter. He is a member of the Natural Capital Committee, Member of the Environment Agency Long-Term Investment Scenarios Development Group (LTIS-DG), Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Member of British Standard Institute (BSI) Committee for establishing ISO standards for Evaluating Natural Capital and Determining environmental costs and benefits and Monetary valuation of environmental aspects and impacts, Member of the South West Water Legislative, Resilience and Environmental Investment Board, Chief Editor of the journal Environmental and Resource Economics and former member of the Defra Science Advisory Council. He is also Adjunct Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Western Australia, Perth and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Economics in both the University of Waikato Management School, New Zealand and at Lincoln University, New Zealand. He was Head of Economics for the UK National Ecosystem Assessment from 2009-2011.

Professor Colin Galbraith

Professor Colin Galbraith is Director of his environmental consultancy, dealing with a range of environmental issues in Scotland and at the global level. Colin was until early 2010 the Director of Policy and Advice in Scottish Natural Heritage. In this capacity he was the principal adviser on policy, scientific and technical matters for the organisation for over twelve years. Colin has been involved with the United Nations for a number of years and has made contributions through the Convention on Migratory Species and to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in particular. This work area involves Colin in high profile nature conservation issues including the conservation of the African Elephant, developing new international agreements to assist the conservation of Albatross, and in reviewing the impact of climate change on the ecology of threatened species. Colin has been the Chairman and the Vice Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and is presently the Appointed Councillor on Climate Change issues for the Convention. He has been an Honorary Professor in Conservation Science at the University of Stirling since 2002.

Highways England is delivering the project at Croft Interchange – where junction 21a of the M6 meets junction 10 of the M62 – to give drivers smoother and more reliable journeys along the eastbound M62, one of the busiest commuter congestion hotspots in the region.

When the testing is completed in December / January, electronic information signs and variable mandatory speed limits on the M62, will combine with traffic lights on the motorway link roads from the M6, to provide smoother traffic flows.

Electronic signs on the eastbound M62 will be used with traffic lights on link road slip roads from the M6 to smooth drivers’ journeys

Andy Withington, Highways England’s programme delivery manager for the North West, said:

This is an opportunity to combine existing technology and traffic management systems in a novel way to see whether we can give drivers using the frequently congested eastbound M62, lower journey times during peak hours and smoother, more reliable journeys.

Once the system is fully up and running we’ll be monitoring its use over a period of up to a year. If it is successful – and we believe it will be – it could well be used on other motorway to motorway link roads across the country.

At peak times drivers leaving the M6 may be required to stop at traffic lights at the end of the slip road onto the eastbound M62

The new motorway to motorway system will be introduced in 2 phases. The electronic variable message signs will be introduced first and drivers travelling between junction 9 and junction 11 of the eastbound M62 will start to see the signs in operation displaying mandatory variable speed limits and other information such as warnings of congestion.

The second phase of the scheme will see the traffic lights switched on at the end of the link roads onto the eastbound M62. Traffic leaving the M6 will be closely monitored and the lights will be controlled to minimise queuing onto the M6.

Mr Withington said:

The key aim of the project is to test the novel technology introduced through this pilot project and tackle congestion at peak travel times, especially during the morning rush hour. The link road traffic lights won’t be on all of the time, being limited to the morning peak, but the variable speed limit signs on the M62 eastbound will be working all the time when traffic conditions dictate.

Therefore, when the system is operating, drivers will be expected to obey the traffic lights on the link roads and variable mandatory speed limits displayed on the new M62 electronic signs.

Slip road signs have been installed to warn drivers of new traffic lights

The £7 million construction project involved installing some of the largest gantries ever used in the region to carry the electronic signs – crossing up to 10 lanes of traffic.

Money for the project is coming from a £150 million innovation fund, part of the £15 billion allocated to Highways England in the Government’s 2015 to 2020 Road Investment Strategy. The innovation fund is designed to encourage Highways England to look at new technology or novel techniques to improve journeys.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

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Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.