Fiets! Let's Cycle like the Dutch!

Longford Road meets the roundabout. A car waits to join in the left lane, a lorry waits in the right lane, and a bus passes on the roundabout.

Reform-led Council Omits Cycle Link in Highways Scheme

Posted on 26/09/202527/09/2025 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

Warwickshire County Council has approved the design of an “upgraded” roundabout that sits between Bedworth and Coventry, just within the county border. The junction is an important link in the Coventry-Bedworth-Nuneaton urban corridor and indeed has been part of a long-planned cycle route. But with this roundabout design omitting a north-south cycle link, that route for active travel may be scuppered.

Warwickshire County Council headquarters building in Warwick

Warwickshire’s Budget and Active Travel

Posted on 18/09/202518/09/2025 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

In what is an ideal opportunity to promote the benefits of active travel to the local authority, Warwickshire County Council is asking for opinions about its budget for the financial year 2026/27 – including areas of priority and those which maybe should/could receive a monetary reduction given the challenges all local authorities are suffering with regard to funding.

Caroline Close, Whitestone, Nuneaton - the entrance to the street showing a close-up of the road name with the street going off into the distance on the left of the image. Some cars can be seen parked up in the distance and opposite side of the road.

Is Nuneaton about to get its first School Street?

Posted on 03/07/202502/07/2025 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

Following the successful pilot of a scheme at Eastlands Primary School in Rugby, and in exciting news for those who want to see improved safety, better air quality, and more pleasant environments outside of school gates, Warwickshire County Council has revealed that it is planning a new School Streets trial, with Chetwynd Junior School and Caroline Close in Nuneaton set to benefit.

A 40mph speed limit sign beside a road with a flat-bed van heading towards the camera, followed by a small white car. Another car is travelling in the opposite direction. The far side of the two-lane road is bounded by hedgerow and a field; there is no pavement.

Proactive road safety improvements before school starts?

Posted on 13/03/202513/03/2025 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

Nuneaton has a lot of residential development going on, and one of the newest sites is seeing a brand new secondary school being built, set to open its doors for its first cohort of Year Sevens in September this year. All very exciting – except for the nearby main road which remains at its historical 40mph limit. Will the County Council entertain dropping the maximum speed down to 30mph?

Longford Road southbound, approaching red traffic signals. In the distance, the road runs under a motorway bridge. A Skoda car showroom can be seen to the left.

Decision due on part of the Nuneaton-Bedworth-Coventry cycle scheme

Posted on 10/03/202510/03/2025 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

The long-awaited Nuneaton to Coventry “super cycleway” may take a small step forward later this week with a tiny part of the route being put to the Portfolio Holder for Transport for approval. This features as part of a broader programme of road improvements and covers the south-most section through Exhall – only about 0.55km (0.35mi) and with serious compromises in quality.

Gyratory plans for Nuneaton’s ring road

Posted on 04/02/202512/02/2025 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

A critical look at Warwickshire’s plans for a redeveloped junction on Nuneaton’s ring-road which, in one instance at least, might be considered negligent to the safety of those using active travel.

Extract from a road design plan showing a large roundabout for motor vehicles and some separated cycling infrastructure.

Video: Proposals for Nuneaton’s Leicester Road Gyratory

Posted on 19/01/202512/03/2025 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

Warwickshire County Council has released its latest iteration of design for redeveloping an important road junction in Nuneaton, linking Leicester Road, Newtown Road, and Vicarage Street into one large gyratory. Here, I take a look at those plans from an active travel perspective (walking, wheeling, and cycling) to see what we have and where the plans fall down. A written

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

Posted on 28/11/202410/12/2024 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

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 a quick update.

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

Posted on 16/11/202416/11/2024 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

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?

Posted on 14/11/202414/11/2024 by Fiets! Let's Cycle Like the Dutch

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.