FPC have received notification of proposed traffic lights at the crossroads in the centre of the village. Apologies this is a long post but please read to the end.
At the recent meeting in the Manor House Pub there was vociferous objections to the proposal.
FPC have the following concerns;
1. There has been no consideration of Church Lane, Holbeche Cresecent or Ousterne Lane. FPC are concerned that Church Lane will become even more of a rat run preventing residents from leaving their drives or going towards Nuneaton in the lane. Lights will encourage more people to ignore the No Entry sign at the top of Ousterne Lane and that will revert to the rat run that it was previously.
2. Traffic lights do not address the issues of speeding through the village on ANY of the roads. Speeding is the main cause of accidents at the crossroads and also impacts other residents on many other roads.
3. Whilst safe crossings are welcomed, why not use a raised “speed table” with a zebra crossing outside the school? Traffic would approach slower as they have to go over the table, and a zebra crossing would give the children priority. Traffic light controlled crossings will delay the traffic for longer and they are on every road.
4. The traffic lights will cause gridlock. There are two parts of Coventry Road where 2 vehicles cannot physically pass each other. At the moment this is managed by “gentlemans agreement” – drivers see oncoming traffic and pause to give way. If traffic lights are controlling the flow, drivers will have no choice but to go when its green and then potentially come to a grinding halt with a large vehicle in queuing traffic meaning that neither can pass without mounting the pavement.
5. When previous 4-way traffic lights have been installed temporarily they have caused gridlock for motorists as well as nuisance for residents.
6. When WCC remodelled the crossroads some years ago, it was pointed out that the scheme that had been modelled on the computer wouldn’t work and residents were ignored. Once the scheme was almost complete WCC were forced to realise (by demonstration) that the scheme wouldn’t work and it had to be botched to be completed. FPC is firmly of the view that the computer modelling used for this is flawed;
a. the width of Coventry Road has not been considered
b. Rural traffic and lorries have not been considered
c. The impact on Church Lane, Holbeche Crecsent and Ousterne Lane has not been considered.
d. The consultation has been inadequate
FPC are trying to press for a more holistic approach to traffic management in the village and a safer environment for all our residents. The County Councillor responsible for the decision is saying that there is no choice but traffic lights as there have been 5 injurious accidents in 11 years. Over 90% of accidents are caused by traffic approaching from Nuneaton direction and not stopping. Perhaps this is because the Parish Councils calls for speed reducing measures have been ignored. We live in a rural village and do not want to be urbanised, especially when we know that the proposals won’t resolve the problems. FPC have put forward suggestions for “give and takes” (the small islands that mean you have to give way) on Coventry Road and Nuneaton Road. FPC have suggested speed cushions to slow traffic. The problems with incidents at the crossroads, and increasingly through the village is speed. Traffic lights will not resolve this.
Any objections or representations to the proposals, which must be in writing and specify the grounds on which they are made, should be addressed to George Winton, Engineering Design Services, Environmental Services, Communities Directorate, PO Box 43, Shire Hall, Warwick, CV34 4SX or sent by email to georgewinton@warwickshire.gov.uk (Objections, representations, and the name of the objector or person making a representation, will normally be treated as public information and may be published.
AND, the WCC Director of Highways will be at the next PC meeting at Fillongley Village Hall at 7.30pm on 19th February to hear your opinions. But you still need to write!
crossroads proposals