Traffic lights approved for major roundabout south of Warwick and Leamington

Traffic lights are to be introduced on the Greys Mallory roundabout to the south of Warwick and Leamington. Warwickshire County Council today (Friday) approved the £950,000 scheme which forms part of infrastructure plans to deal with new housing in the area. Developers Taylor Wimpey and Bloor Homes have obtained planning permission to build up to 900 homes, a primary school, a new local centre and a park and ride facility for up to 500 vehicles from Europa Way and Banbury Road. Permission was obtained on appeal and features conditions, including for improvements to the highways which will be paid for by contributions from the developers, known as section 278 payments. As well as new traffic signals, a new layby will be constructed. The roundabout connects major routes into Warwick and Leamington – Banbury Road and Europa Way – to and from junctions 13 and 14 of the M40. The decision was signed off by Councillor Peter Butlin (Con, Admirals & Cawston), the deputy leader of Warwickshire County Council and portfolio holder for finance and property. Meanwhile, a project to improve connectivity and safety for cyclists has been approved to the east of Leamington. A new toucan crossing, designed to accommodate cyclists as well as pedestrians to cross roads while vehicle traffic is stopped by signals, is to be built on the A425 Radford Road near to Sydenham Drive. The idea is to improve and inspire greater use of the part of the National Cycle Network which connects Leamington town centre and railway station with the Offchurch Greenway and the Lias Line. The county council’s report acknowledges: “The existing crossing refuge can present difficulty for less confident pedestrians and cyclists, and those with disabilities. “The proposed signal-controlled crossing would provide a single stage crossing with audible and tactile signals for blind and partially sighted users.” Objections came forward from the public around chopping down a tree. Moving the crossing to another part of the road was considered but it was deemed that other locations would either result in greater inconvenience for residents or the cutting down of more trees. It was recommended to go ahead with chopping down the tree but to mitigate that by planting more trees locally. The crossing decision was signed off by Councillor Jan Matecki (Con, Budbrooke & Bishop’s Tachbrook), the county’s portfolio holder for transport and planning.