Cycling and Sustainable Travel in Nuneaton and Beyond

Everyday Cycling and Sustainable Travel Advocacy

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A newly installed black chicane barrier on a wide, off-road path. To the right of the restriction is a wooden fence; to the left, is a shaded hedge. Fresh tarmac is laid under the restriction. Ahead and beyond the barriers is a residential road.

The barrier complaint – an update

Earlier this year I entered into a protracted complaint with the County Council about the sudden installation of a chicane barrier on a short piece of path that is vital for accessing a formal shared use route. Counting from the date of installation, the matter has been going on for almost seven months, so here’s…

Ratcliffe Road, Atherstone showing a pavement where pedestrian guardrail is positioned to take-up maybe 20% of the path width. To the left is the road with "school keep clear" zig-zags. To the right is green space. Autumn leaves line the boundary between the grass and the footpath

Worsening pedestrian space in the name of safety

Earlier this year, Warwickshire County Council applauded itself on the installation of a new guardrail barrier by a school, yet in doing so it has reduced pavement width, apparently ignoring DfT guidance on accessible space.

A primary school seen from the public road. The road joins an area for a mini-roundabout, the centre of which is just out of shot to the right. "School Keep Clear" zig-zags surround the boundary of the road. The footpath is buffered to the road by guard rails. The school's sign can be seen standing high, above the school's green fencing.

School expansion – An active travel opportunity?

Consultations are currently underway following proposals to expand two Nuneaton schools to accommodate growing demand. Those schools, like so many others, are known to suffer with motor traffic congestion at the peak times of drop-off and pick-up – a situation that will only get worse without some form of mitigation.

An "End of Route" sign commonly found at the end of formal cycle routes; a blue rectangle with a white outline. A bicycle outline is positioned centrally. The words "End Of" are above the bicycle, "Route" is below the bicycle. A bit of nondescript graffiti is at the bottom of the sign which also has visible scarring over it. The colours are muted and contrast boosted to give a moodier impression.

County Council KILLS OFF its A47 Long Shoot cycle scheme?

Back in December 2023, Warwickshire County Council stated that it had paused development of a mostly separated cycle scheme to run alongside the A47 from its junction with the A5 towards Nuneaton town centre. Now, the Council’s Forward Plan published in October 2024 shows the decision on the scheme as “Abandoned” and it has been…

View of a road in Bedworth taken from the right-side pavement, looking towards a junction. A pedestrian refuge island sits between the two road lanes. On the left is a war memorial with the words "Bedworth The Town That Never Forgets". Near this structure is a lamp-post where a sign is fixed. The sign has a red background, surrounded by a yellow border. The words, in uppercase white text, read: "give way to cyclists from right".

Minor road changes proposed for active travel in Bedworth

Warwickshire Highways is proposing to make modifications at a junction in Bedworth which will facilitate part of a “Green Corridor” for active travel in the town. This has the specific aim of connecting to the popular Miners’ Welfare Park and the new Physical Activity Hub (aka leisure centre), to enable people to travel there without…

A close pass on a 50mph road with no cycle infrastructure. A grey van passes, barely a metre away from the curb, with a car coming in the opposite direction

West Midlands and Warwickshire hotspots for cycling incidents

A report shows Warwickshire to be one of the hotspots for cycling incidents – but is it any wonder? Despite promises of routes, social media activity, and an active travel focus in the County Council’s LTP, there’s still a lack of delivery on the ground.

A "no cycling" sign on a small, pedestrianised street in a town centre. The brick surfaced street is protected by bollards. An advertisement board is near to the foreground; a person is walking away in the background.

New Protection Order references cycling

The local Borough Council is proposing a new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to cover Nuneaton and Bedworth town centres and surrounding areas as one method of tackling antisocial behaviour and improving the perceived safety in the borough. The PSPO will mention cycling – but as far as these things go, it seems reasonable.

The shocking and deadly statistic behind painted cycle lanes

Many people who cycle on roads probably instinctively know that painted cycle lanes do little to ensure a rider’s safety. Some would even assert that they’d prefer no dedicated infrastructure if the choice is that or some paint, where the latter can lead to more instances of close passes and driver hostility (whether or not…

Escalated complaint still ignored by Council

The seemingly unending chicane barrier issue raised with Warwickshire County Council continues as a manager finally responds to the escalated complaint detailed back in July. It’s taken a long time, and a lot of chasing to get this reply – but which still fails to properly consider the points originally raised back on 16 May…

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