The City Council has received funding from Government to help improve cycling, walking and wheeling (pushchairs and wheelchairs), and reduce traffic in Foleshill.
The project aims to make Foleshill an even better place to live, work and visit, while also reducing air pollution which can lead to a range of health problems. In 2021, the Council consulted on what local residents thought the road and traffic issues were in the area. Many respondents thought that there are too many cars along Foleshill Road, so it doesn’t feel like a nice place to spend time.
This was supported by traffic survey data which showed that 20% of the traffic using Foleshill Road does not stop in the area, as it is used as a cut-through between the city centre and the A444. Drivers are not visiting local shops or using the area, and this extra traffic leads to:
- poor air quality due to traffic building up and having to wait
- poor reliability of bus services due to the build-up of traffic, especially at the Foleshill Road/ Jimmy Hill Way junction
- cyclists or people who want to cycle feeling less confident
To address some of these issues the Council are planning to make some improvements.
Cycleway between Canal Basin and Broad Street
To make Foleshill a safer place to cycle, the Council are proposing to build a fully segregated cycleway from the Canal Basin to the Broad Street junction. This will provide a safe cycling route between Foleshill and the city centre. A segregated cycleway is where the cycle lanes are separated from the road and pavement, giving pedestrians and cyclists their own space away from traffic.
The Council have also secured some funding to provide cycle parking and storage for the community to use. They would like to know where people think these should be.
Improved crossings and priority for pedestrians and cyclists
To make Foleshill a safer and easier place to walk, the Council will improve and introduce new crossings for pedestrians and cyclists. Foleshill Road is a long road with lots of side streets. To enable cyclists and pedestrians to move more freely along the main road they will change the priority at all side junctions. This means people on cycles and walking will have priority over cars wanting to join Foleshill Road.
Improved bus stops
New bus stops will be introduced along Foleshill Road, between Canal View and The Moorings, at the junction of Eagle Street and Foleshill Road, between Edmund Road and Honeyfield Road and at the junction of Shortridge Drive and Foleshill Road. The new bus stops will be slightly away from the pavement, leaving room for the cycleway. The new stops will be accessible for all- including people with mobility issues, or those with pushchairs.
The plan above shows the proposed improvements. There are also some pictures of a segregated cycleway. new bus stops and cycle storage below.
Consultation
The Council has already held a number of drop-in sessions, but anyone wanting to respond to the consultation can complete a survey questionnaire. The survey will be open until Sunday 17 December.
