County to lobby over A5/A444 decision
Warwickshire County Council is to ask the Highways Agency to reconsider funding an important safety improvement to the A5/A444 Royal Red Gate junction near Nuneaton.
Following consultation with local people, a preferred option was identified to replace the existing staggered crossroads near the village of Caldecote with an off-line roundabout.
In 2002, an interim set of improvements were implemented at the junction which have been partially successful in reducing the number of casualties. However, since then there have been a further 25 accidents in the vicinity of the junction, comprising 2 fatal, 1 serious and 22 slight.
County Councillor Richard Grant, the local member for the Caldecote area, said: “This junction is notorious for my constituents who not only have to frequently negotiate it, but are also uniquely involved when incidents happen. I am also keenly aware of the difficulties for motorists passing through the area on the A5 and the A444, and the risks the junction poses for them.
“As the County Councillor for this area I strongly support actions to achieve a much needed solution at this junction which will significantly reduce risk and ultimately save lives."
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “I am extremely disappointed to hear that the Highways Agency, after going through an extensive and lengthy consultation process for much needed improvements to the A5/A444 junction, now have no monies identified to fund their proposals.
“I hope they will see this as an urgent scheme and come forward with the monies to upgrade the junction before there are any more accidents at this well known black spot.
“I will be seeking support from local MPs and requesting their help in ensuring this scheme is recognised as a high priority, and not lost in the long grass waiting funding before anything is done.”
The Highways Agency has funding available nationally for safety improvements on the motorway and trunk road network. The modifications that were made in 2002 to this junction and the resultant reduction in casualties which have occurred have lead the Agency to reconsider whether the proposed off-line roundabout still represents value for money.
In 2006, the Highways Agency, in conjunction with both Warwickshire County Council and Leicestershire County Council submitted a Regional Appraisal Summary Table (RAST) for the scheme to be considered for funding through the West Midlands Regional Funding Allocation (RFA). These submissions for funding Major Transport Schemes will be prioritised by the Region later this year. The county council is concerned that if the scheme is not identified as a priority then any improvement may take a number of years to come forward.
The county council is in the process of contacting the Highways Agency to ask them to reconsider their decision not to fund the improvement from their own budgets. The county council has also contacted local MP Mike O’Brien (Labour, North Warwickshire) to seek his support for the scheme.