The Government's Trunk Road Review announced last Friday contains several proposals of significance for Warwickshire.  They include:

• The go-ahead for an improvement at the notorious A45/A46 Tollbar End
• The detrunking of the A423 between Coventry and Banbury, the A435 south of the M42 and, once the Birmingham Northern Relief Road is completed, the A446 from near the NEC to Weeford
• A study to identify options for improving the A46/M40 roundabout at Longbridge, near Warwick
• Small scale measures to improve the A46 from Stratford-upon-Avon to the M5
• Further studies, and consideration by the Regional Planning Conference, of the M42 Junctions 3A to 7 widening

Although the review includes proposals for the A5 elsewhere in the West Midlands, there are no proposals either for the improvement or, alternatively, detrunking of this important route in Warwickshire.

One of the consequences of detrunking the A435 will be that the Government would no longer be responsible for decisions on whether or not to bypass Studley; instead these will fall on Warwickshire County Council.

Councillor June Tandy, Chair of Warwickshire County Council's Environmental Strategy Committee, gave the proposals a mixed welcome.  She said:

"We are pleased to see the detrunking proposals because I think it is important that most trunk roads, other than motorways, are managed locally along with the rest of the road network.  However, we will want to talk to the Government about the finance needed to keep them properly maintained and, in particular, about funding for Studley Bypass.  We still have concerns over the unrecognised need for improvements on, for example, the A5 and A46 south of Longbridge, but welcome the commitment to an early solution of the Tollbar End problem and the slightly longer commitment to the Longbridge roundabout."

Over the next few weeks County Council Officers will be studying, in detail, the implications of the Trunk Road Review; the Review will be considered by the Environmental Strategy Committee in the Autumn.

MORE INFORMATION:
Cllr June Tandy  01203 642222      David Lynn 01926 412046

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