Voted unanimously
Warwick District Council on Wednesday 24th February voted unanimously to call for a re-evaluation of the need for this new road proposed to link the A46 and Westwood Heath Road across the Greenbelt between Kenilworth and the University of Warwick.
Green Councillor James Kennedy
Councillor James Kennedy (Green, Kenilworth Park Hill) in proposing the motion said:
"much has changed since this road was conceived: Climate emergencies at national and local level, new policies to support active travel, new technologies including the proposed Very Light Rail system being developed locally and changing travel patterns following the Covid pandemic. All these point to the need to re-evaluate the requirement for this expensive and redundant road scheme."
Councillor Jonathan Nicholls
The motion, seconded by Councillor Jonathan Nicholls (Labour, Leamington Clarendon), urges the County Council and Coventry City Council to re-think the need for the road.
This new road, costing at least £60m, would cut across greenbelt land from the A46, go between HS2 and the University of Warwick, through the Diamond Wood planted to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee before joining Westwood Heath Road.
Green Councillor Alix Dearing
Green Councillor (Park Hill Kenilworth) Alix Dearing said
"for WCC to spend £60m on a relief road, when it’s been proven time and time again that more roads just encourage more traffic, is hardly fit for the future. All those active travel developments which are the future – (railway halt, VLR light railway, proper district/regional wide planning for cycle links), seem to be a poor afterthought. They should come first".
She supported the amendment but added "I do have concerns about the timescale – and would want to see serious consideration should be given to the process. I don’t want to see a road built to kick a can down".
"much has changed since this road was conceived: Climate emergencies at national and local level, new policies to support active travel, new technologies including the proposed Very Light Rail system being developed locally and changing travel patterns following the Covid pandemic. All these point to the need to re-evaluate the requirement for this expensive and redundant road scheme."
Background - The Motion
That this Council notes that:
- Warwickshire County Council (WCC) has recently closed a consultation on possible routes for the A46 link road from the A46 Stoneleigh junction to Westwood Heath Road. WCC is also currently consulting on its revised Local Travel Plan.
- WCC has published ‘Healthy Travel Choices in Warwickshire’ in which they state "...our goal [is] to achieve a sustainable, healthy and green travel network; where walking and cycling are the primary modes of travel, with private car use of much lower importance."
- The Department of Transport published ‘Gear Change: a bold new vision for cycling and walking’ in July 2020 which aims to ‘encourage and empower’ local authorities to promote active travel plans.
- The CWLEP has invested in the development of the Coventry Very Light Rail system creating new sustainable means of transport and local green jobs.
- In June 2019, Warwick District Council declared a Climate Emergency with one of its aims that "total carbon emissions within Warwick District are as close to zero as possible by 2030". Motor vehicles with internal combustion engines are responsible for 40% of all emissions across the District.
- The impact of the Covid pandemic in 2020 has seen a shift in work patterns towards more home-working and less commuting, with a 73% drop in motor traffic during the height of the lockdown.
That this Council resolves to write to request a report from officers setting out the relative merits of writing to WCC and Coventry City Council as the proposers of the A46 Strategic Link Road calling on them to suspend further development of the scheme until a full re-evaluation of the planning assumptions is made, including but not limited to:
- A reassessment of traffic flow forecasts based on new ways of working and commuting following the pandemic, and a sustainability analysis as mandated for all major new projects by the WDC Climate Emergency.
- A detailed analysis of the potential for enhancing active travel in the area taking into account Department of Transport policy and the emerging Warwickshire Local Travel Plan including the development of plans for a comprehensive cycle network and encouragement of the increasingly popular use of e-bikes for commuting.
- Consideration of fast-tracking the development of the railway station for the University and the early roll-out of the Coventry VLR scheme.
- Coordination with the development of the new South Warwickshire (Warwick and Stratford Districts) Local Plan and with the University of Warwick’s new master plan, noting that the University has also declared a climate emergency.
