Further to our recent publication of plans for cycleways in the city, the City Council has published its plans for the first phase of its proposed cycle route from the city centre to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.
The plan is for a 3.75 mile long segregated cycleway from the city centre to University Hospital with a detour to the Binley Business Park on Harry Weston Road. It will be positioned between the path and the road and will be physically separated from both using kerbs.
The first phase starts on the south side of Binley Road from Gulson Road running eastwards, At Humber Road there is a joint cycle / pedestrian crossing which senses the approach of cyclists and gives them priority.
At Biggin Hall Crescent, the route crosses to the north of Binley Road via a traffic signal controlled junction. At Church Lane there is another controlled junction. At Momus Boulevard the cycleway replaces the footway and pedestrians use the pavement along Momus Boulevard. The cycleway then moves onto the main carriageway and replaces a traffic lane (reducing the road from three to two lanes) as it runs down to Hipswell Highway where there is another controlled junction.
From Hipswell Highway the route continues on the north side of Binley Road, turning left along Brinklow Road as far as the junction with Clifford Bridge Road. Phase 2 of the route runs along Clifford Bridge Road and will be the subject of consultation at a later date.
At the Brinklow Road / Clifford Bridge Road junction there is a cycle / pedestrian access to Binley Business Park, the details of this are yet to be developed.
The cycleway has been developed and designed to accommodate the needs of people that do not usually cycle. In a recent survey across the West Midlands, the biggest reason people gave for not cycling is that they are concerned about safety, followed by a lack of confidence. These proposals aim to reduce those concerns and encourage more people to cycle.
People on cycles will have priority over traffic entering and leaving side roads. In some cases side roads will become closed to vehicular traffic. At signalised junctions the cycleway will have its own set of traffic lights to ensure safety across the junctions.
Consultation is now taking place on these plans and a “Street News” has been delivered to 6000 residents living near the route. The deadline for comments is 31st October 2020.
