New speed limits to improve road safety

Limits of 30mph, 40mph and 50mph are being implemented along sections of Warwick Road and Hill Wootton Road in the vicinity of Leek Wootton, Hill Wootton and Kenilworth with the aim of improving road safety and improving the environment for residents and road users.

The roll out is almost 12 months in the making, after the issue was raised at a transport seminar in January, and is thanks to work by Warwickshire county councillor Jose Compton (Con, Leek Wootton), who was assisted by fellow councillor Alan Cockburn (Con, Kenilworth St John’s).

Cllr Compton said: “We hope to get all the limits in by Christmas and then there will be a period where we will have to assess whether they are appreciable. It’s one thing putting a limit in but then you have to wait and see if people adhere to it.

“The weight limit on roads into Leek Wootton is also important for residents - when trucks rattle through the village at 4am it is very noisy.”

In Warwick Road - between Kenilworth and Leek Wootton - there will be a 30mph limit for 545 metres from the south of the junction at Newey Drive and the north of the junction with Rouncil Lane.

The same limit will be placed on Hill Wootton Road from a point 717 metres west of its junction with Kenilworth Road, southwest through Hill Wootton to a point 354 metres east of its junction with Coventry Road.

Hill Wootton cul-de-sac will have a 30mph from its junction with Hill Wootton Road southwards for a distance of 207 metres.

A 40mph limit will be implemented along Hill Wootton Road, from its junction with Kenilworth Road Westwards for a distance of 717 metres.

A limit of 50mph is being placed on Hill Wootton Road from a point just east of its junction with The Hamlet eastwards to a point 354 metres east of its junction with Coventry Road.

These limits will also be put on Warwick Road from a point 60 metres south of its junction with Deansway and southwards to a point 54 metres north of its roundabout junction with the A46 Warwick By-pass and also from a point 355 metres north of its junction with Woodcote Lane and northwards to a point 217 metres south of its junction with Newey Drive.

Cllr Compton said: “There was an anomaly where we had speed limits on main roads and then when motorists turned into smaller roads they could drive at 60mph so we have managed to get that covered.

“A lot of people use the side of Warwick Road near the Broad Lane caravan centre as a footpath and cycle way and the speed of the traffic going along there makes them very nervous.

“These measures have been well publicised and welcomed by the Leek Wootton parish council.”

Traffic calming and speed reduction measures will also be implemented in Leek Wootton with existing 30mph signs being replaced with new ‘gateway signs’.