Working to protect local residents in Kenilworth

On 16th January a group of local Kenilworth Gate residents and local councillors welcomed staff from Warwickshire County Council to see first-hand the danger for pedestrians and vehicle drivers on Leamington Road.

The meeting followed the successful presentation in mid-December of a petition to the County Council signed by more than 1,000 Warwickshire residents calling for urgent action to improve safety on Leamington Road.

Accompanied by local Councillors Richard Dickson - LibDems in Kenilworth and Alison Insley - Councillor for Kenilworth St John's Town, the residents showed the Council staff the problems caused by the 40mph speed limit on Leamington Road, the absence of a footpath between the entry to Kenilworth Gate and St John’s gyratory, not having a pedestrian crossing over Leamington Road and the absence of traffic calming measures in the road. 

The Council Highways Department staff, who were accompanied by Highways Portfolio Councillor Jennifer Warren, experienced firsthand the danger for pedestrians trying to cross Leamington Road from and into Kenilworth Gate, declining to walk along the dirt path next to the road that residents are forced to use if they don’t want to run across the road in rush hour traffic, in the dark and rain.

The Council staff and Councillor Warren left the site visit with a very clear understanding of the dangers and a commitment to address the problems as soon as possible.

Dr. Rocco Coppejans said “Residents remain extremely concerned that no time lines exist for fixing this problem or providing a temporary solution. This is despite the fact that houses have been occupied for more than 2.5 years and residents have to risk their lives every day because of an issue that should have been addressed before a single house was occupied. We continue to urge the Council and Charles Church (the housing developer) to fix this problem as quickly as possible and hope that a solution is implemented before someone dies or is seriously injured.” 

‘The visit by Council staff and Councillor Warren was very useful in showing the need for urgent solutions to the current problems experienced on a daily basis by Kenilworth Gate residents’ said Councillors Dickson and Insley. ‘The eventual completion of the spine road through the Thickthorn development and the signalisation of the St John’s gyratory will help, but these works are too far in the future. Action is needed now.’ 

{photo below from an on-site meeting in November 2025 between local residents and Richard Dickson - LibDems in Kenilworth}