BUS CHANGES FROM SUNDAY 5 NOVEMBER

This is ECHO’s understanding of the imminent changes to bus services in the area but if anyone knows different please let us know. These changes affect both National Express Coventry (NX) and Stagecoach services.

The Albany Road/Earlsdon Street route is currently served by a combined service 2 / service 51 half-hourly service on weekdays and Saturdays:

• 2 (NX) – hourly (6.57, 8.20, 9.02 etc. from Pool Meadow)
• 51 (Stagecoach) – hourly (6.27, 7.31, 8.31 etc. from Pool Meadow)

and on Sundays:

• 2 (NX) – hourly (9.05 – 19.05) but there is no 51 (Stagecoach) service

The timetables which have been published online by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and NX say that from 5 November:

The 2/2A (NX) runs via Spon End, Hearsall Lane etc. on weekdays, but there is no evening service:

• 2 (NX) – hourly (6.27, 8.57, 9.57 etc from PM) but no service after 13.57.
• 2A (NX) – hourly (5.57, 6.57, 7.57 then no service until 14.57, 16.12, 17.12, 18.12)

51 (Stagecoach) – hourly on weekdays + Saturdays: (6.27 – 20.31 from PM)
51 (NX) – hourly on Sundays only (6.35- 18.35 from PM)

The upshot is that on face-value the centre of Earlsdon (on the Albany Road/Earlsdon Street route) currently has a weekday half-hourly service (2/51) and will now have an hourly one (51 only).

It is hard to see how this ties in with the Liveable Neighbourhood plan to reduce car usage in central Earlsdon.

We hope that there will be a 2B service and the timetable has simply not been loaded to the websites yet. Unless that is the case then the statement two weeks ago by Ed Rickard, Network Director for National Express, who said: “The 2 and 2A timetable will change and buses will no longer serve Earlsdon. During peak daytime hours the route will extend from Tile Hill to Westwood Business Park and during off-peak daytime hours it will extend to Cannon Hill Shops. The 2B service will continue to serve Earlsdon.” seems to be not accurate.

It seems inconceivable that this can have changed so completely in two weeks since that announcement, but equally since there is no 2B service currently the statement was never clear in the first place, and at best should have said that a 2B service will be introduced to serve Earlsdon as a partial continuation of the existing 2 service.

ECHO has asked for support from some local councillors (Earlsdon, Whoberley and Sherbourne wards) to see if any of them are aware of any more details or have a view on these changes. They have acknowledged the issue and are looking into it, but time is running short.

Please let ECHO have your comments both before and after the changes are introduced.

Coventry Soroptimists

Coventry Soroptimists, a local branch of an international organisation, meet in the ECHO area twice a month.

Along with other women’s organisations, Coventry Soroptimists are always trying to raise awareness and take action to end violence against women. 25 November is International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, and the lighting department at Coventry City Council has agreed to light up the Whittle Arch and Greyfriars Green in orange from 25 November till 10 December, to remind people that we should all be vigilant in our efforts to eliminate domestic violence. Coventry Soroptimists are hoping to have a presence in the city centre on 25 November.

Soroptimist International is an organisation which works to improve the lives of women and girls, both locally and globally.

SI Coventry meet twice monthly on Tuesday evenings, between April and October at Hearsall Golf Club, and between November and March at the Phantom Coach.

We are always glad to welcome women who are interested in making friends and in making a difference for other women and girls. For more information, please email Carol Wright: carolwright198@aol.com


Sheila Beck

EARLSDON LIVEABLE NEIGHBOURHOOD PROJECT – OPINION

ECHO has received two ‘Opinion’ contributions about this project. These are both the personal views of the respective writers, not ECHO’s.

The first is an extract of the detail from a recent communication which former councillor Nigel Lee sent to the Project’s lead officer, Bryn Lewis.

It seems that all the assessment work has been done whilst the chaos of the Butts improvements were under way (plus the Charter Avenue works to some extent), and many road users were using Earlsdon as a relief road.  Now they are done, there has been a noticeable drop in traffic.  Surely a new assessment is needed?

It is well known that users avoid the Canley Island (fire station), Kenilworth Road  lights and Leamington Road island by coming by Sainsburys, Beechwood Avenue, Kenilworth Road / Coat of Arms bridge Road, Baginton Road, and back onto the A45 by the Festival Island.  None of these schemes will change that.

As many cars ignore the 30mph, why you think making it 20mph will make any difference to speeds I cannot understand.(unless you are to spend money on enforcement)

With that in mind I will therefore try to break down my responses in groups.

These assume ALL the schemes are introduced as designed.

If any of them are removed from the plan, then the whole dynamic will change, and if that happens, then surely you will have to issue the consultation process yet again.

Schemes that will benefit, and cause little adverse effects:-

  • Albany Road Toucan Crossing
  • Berkeley Road North restriction
  • Beechwood Avenue/Hartington Crescent Island improvements
  • Moor St and Warwick one way
  • Arden St egress only junction

Schemes that will benefit, but dependant on other parts being adopted , could cause minor issues

  • Closure of access to Shaftsbury Road, this will increase traffic on Beechwood Avenue
  • One way at the bottom of Spencer Road, only really effective with the Bus gate
  • One way in Newcombe Road, this will have issue on egress during school time, made worse with the new bus stops designs.
  • One way on Berkeley Road South. This will mean the majority of deliveries will have to use Styvechale/Osbourne Road. It will also mean that any taxi accessing the new taxi rank will logically use the same route.
  • Road restriction on Beechwood adjacent to the Tennis Club access. If a vehicle approaches from Kenilworth Road, wishing to access the club, it will be on the right-hand side of the road, if a vehicle is exiting and wishes to turn toward Kenilworth Road, there will be an impasse, and that car will have to turn left.  This happens currently, but the cars can safely manoeuvre to allow them to pass.

Schemes that will have adverse effects on local area

  • Moving the bus stops into the running lanes on Earlsdon Avenue North and South. This will cause severe traffic congestion, especially on the section outside the library at school times.  It also could have a knock-on effect on the upper part of Newcombe road, as when busy, users will use that and Poplar Road to avoid the library bus stop.
  • No entry to Warwick and Styvechale Avenues. This will increase traffic on Earlsdon Avenue North and South, as access from
  • Town/Cheylesmore/Rugby/London will, logically, have to use Leamington Road (and its junction with Warwick Road and Kenilworth Road), Kenilworth Road, and its Junction with Earlsdon Avenue
  • Allesley/Tile Hill/Birmingham will now HAVE to use Broad Lane/Tile Hill Lane, Hearsall Common, Earlsdon Avenue North and South.

It also does nothing to stop the cars using the roads in the other direction during the evenings (which will only be worse if more vehicles are forced to use Earlsdon Avenue/Kenilworth Road Lights.)

  • No access/egress from Stoneleigh Avenue. This will increase traffic on Beechwood Avenue, and its junction with Kenilworth Road, and its junction with Rochester Road.
  • Yellow line works on Beechwood from the golf club to Kenilworth Road. This will only enable any speeding driver to have An unimpeded dead straight line between the S bend and Kenilworth Road. Currently the staggered parking significantly reduce speeding vehicles.  They would also cause extra parking on Styvechale and Stoneleigh Avenues from the Golf Club.
  • No access/egress on Arden Street. This will move traffic along Beechwood Avenue to Rochester Road, then down towards Earlsdon Street It will also increase traffic on Earlsdon Street, as all the residents will have to use it for access and egress.
  • Access only at Moor Street As above this will force more vehicles on to Earlsdon Street
  • Beechwood Avenue/Rochester Road junction change. The current issue with buses at this junction is that they have to swing into the right-hand lane to make the turn into Rochester Road.  The new junction design does not seem to aid this, in fact it could make the issue more difficult.  If the bus prepares the turn, but the running lanes of Rochester want to turn into Beechwood, then the junction will gridlock.  There will also be a significant loss in parking in the area, which will have an adverse effect on the Church.
  • Pedestrian Crossing outside Wetherspoons. Many people are in favour of the crossing, but the subsequent design changes to Earlsdon Street seem somewhat strange.  I realise you need the zig zag protection, but why not put the bus stop right up to them, then the bus has a clean route to depart.  This would leave the original parking as is.
  • Delivery bay in Earlsdon Street. Anyone who has used this road when a blue badge car parked outside the old building society will tell you the chaos that car caused.  Putting a 10-tonne lorry there for a period of time would be far worse.
  • Bus gate in Spencer Road. Primarily, this will move even more traffic onto Kenilworth Road and its junction at Earlsdon Avenue South, it also raise questions as to how car users who utilise the additional parking spaces are supposed to get back out of the road or lorries who would then have to reverse all the way back to Davenport Road.

Other alternative schemes that would achieve the original objective but have not been considered

Delete:

  • Arden Street closure
  • Stoneleigh Avenue closure
  • Shaftsbury Road closure
  • Bus gate
  • Warwick and Styvechale Avenue no entry
  • Restriction on Beechwood Avenue by the Tennis club
  • Yellow line works on Beechwood Avenue

Use tabletop junctions at :

  • Warwick Avenue/Beechwood Avenue
  • Styvechale Avenue/Beechwood Avenue
  • Rochester Road/Beechwood Avenue and remove changes to parking and road lining at the junction with Bates Road.
  • Access to Tennis Club
  • Moor Street/Earlsdon Street
  • Albany Road/Newcombe Road/Spencer Avenue.
  • Dalton Road/Spencer Avenue

Move the bus stop on Earlsdon Avenue South back to start after the access drop kerb to the care home, this would ensure the bus can get into the stop straight (which is not possible most of the time)

Leave the bus stop outside the Library but enlarge the central refuge at the pedestrian crossing to make the road a single lane (currently many near misses as some think it is wide enough for 2 cars). This, if staggered, would ensure a safer crossing, and would let traffic move on one side, rather than both ways stopping once a pedestrian commences to cross.

Build out the pavement around the trees on Earlsdon Avenue South to make the pavements better for all users, and also it would define parking areas along the road. One of these would be after the bus stop (as above) and would create a wider safer pavement from there to the crossing at the island.

Improve the junction at Kenilworth Road/Earlsdon Avenue south to make it run better (especially from town wishing to turn into Earlsdon Avenue).

Improve the junction at Beechwood Avenue/Kenilworth Road as with this being a 40 mph road, there have been numerous accidents at this place (2 of my friends have had accidents there).

Nigel Lee

**************************************

These are the personal views of Clare McArthur:

At the time of writing, the consultation period for the Earlsdon Liveable Neighbourhood Proposals is due to run until 29 October. In response to public feedback during the initial consultation, the proposed measures cover a wider area than initially planned – additional funding has been secured from Sustrans for this.

The consultation protocol requires that all responses are noted. All public feedback from the initial consultation was published. Examination of all those responses alongside the proposals shows that, as far as possible (given that some elements were mutually exclusive) this feedback has been taken into account. After the current second consultation period, public feedback will again help to inform the scheme. If any measures, in full or in part, are implemented there will be assessment of their effectiveness. Any subsequent adjustments to improve outcomes would not be time limited.

The proposed scheme is detailed in 18 information sheets plus a summary sheet. This means that there is a great deal to read and cross reference. In the interests of full and positive engagement, this is necessary. The rationale for each proposal is explained alongside the anticipated benefits and impacts. Reviews of existing similar schemes confirm that those anticipated outcomes are realistic. Alternatives that were considered are also described together with the reasons for not including them. The information sheets invite respondents to have their say in influencing particular proposals – this can be done via the online feedback form. Respondents are not required to comment on every proposal. It is possible to express support for some proposed measures alongside concerns, objections or questions about others.

A key objective of a Liveable Neighbourhood (LN) Scheme is to reduce the volume of through traffic along residential roads by encouraging vehicles onto roads that are more suitable for high traffic volumes. Analysis of traffic flows shows that a substantial proportion of traffic in Earlsdon is not local and is not stopping in the area. The Earlsdon LN Scheme seeks to direct this traffic onto roads such as the Kenilworth Road, the A45 and Butts Road, which have been adapted or built to absorb greater volumes of through traffic. Inevitably, some measures would also change the way that local traffic can use residential streets. This may necessitate taking a different route (which in turn may mean a slightly longer journey time) but will not mean that access to roads is denied. Local traffic would not be prevented from moving around and through Earlsdon, but it would need to make some adjustments to how it moves.

Reducing through traffic and the ‘space’ it creates within a neighbourhood provides opportunities for the safer movement of all road users and pedestrians. It generates a positive impact on people living there. Established LN schemes have reported reductions in street crime and have seen no adverse impact on emergency vehicle response times. Studies by organisations such as Possible and The University of Westminster’s Active Travel Academy show that roads within a LN generally experience a 50% reduction in road casualties and an increase in more active travel with people choosing to walk or cycle locally more often. People are making these choices not because their opportunity to drive has been limited, but because they recognise that lower (through) traffic volumes together with a reduced speed limit* means that their streets become safer. Given that many Earlsdon residents have expressed their concern about the increasing volume of excessively speeding traffic on local suburban streets, any proposals attempting to address this problem deserve consideration. Funding for specific traffic calming measures such as zebra and pedestrian crossings to improve road safety is certainly not easy to obtain and, sadly, often happens only after fatalities.

* ROSPA is clear that: “20 mph speed limits can result in 40% fewer collisions and a seven-fold reduction in deaths.” The World Health Organisation (WHO) says: “A safe speed on roads with possible conflicts between cars, pedestrians and cyclists is 20mph”. Interestingly, research suggests that, whilst crash outcomes are far better at 20mph than at 30mph, traffic flow and journey times don’t seem to change very much.

Clare McArthur

(Member of Earlsdon Community Speedwatch)

Earlsdon Liveable Neighbourhood

At a public, but privately organised meeting on 8 October, it was decided to post a petition with the City Council to pause the consultation until such time as it can be looked at in greater detail, and that everyone is informed of the ramifications of this scheme as it currently stands.

The petition is now live and can be found as a hard copy in Earlsdon Library, and online at

Petition

Earlsdon By-Election

A local by-election for Earlsdon ward on Coventry City Council takes place on Thursday 26 October. This is necessary because of the resignation of Cllr Becky Gittins to return to her native North Wales. Cllr Gittins first won this seat for Labour with a majority of 104 in 2019 and then defended it in May 2023, winning this time by 1160 votes.

The full list of candidates is as follows:

Cameron BAXTER – Coventry Citizens Party
John FINLAYSON – Green
Adam HARMSWORTH – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Lynette KELLY- Labour and Co-operative Party
Zaid REHMAN -Conservative
Stephen RICHMOND – Liberal Democrat

If you have recently changed address or reached the age of 18, you may not be registered. You can register at: www.gov.uk/registertovote but need to do so before the deadline of Tuesday 10 October.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. If you wish to vote at the polling station you will be required to show an accepted form of photographic ID before being issued with a ballot paper. If you don’t have it, polling staff will be obliged to refuse you the right to vote.

Acceptable forms of photo ID include:

• A passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country
• A driving licence issued by the UK, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
• A Blue Badge
• A Biometric immigration document
• An Older Person’s Bus Pass
• A Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
• Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• Some other forms of photo ID

Provided you are recognisable from the photo it is acceptable to use one of the above even if it has expired in respect of its original purpose. However, if you have a different name now to what is on the ID you will need additional proof of the change of name.

The full list of accepted ID is available at the Electoral Commission’s website: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id

The failsafe option for anyone who has none of the accepted forms of photo ID is to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate details of how to do this are on the Electoral Commission’s website or by phoning the helpline on: 0800 328 0280. The deadline to apply for a VAC is 5pm on Wednesday 18 October.

If you are unable to attend the polling station, you can vote by post or you can apply for a proxy vote. However the deadline to apply for a postal vote passed at 5pm on Wednesday 1 October whilst the deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on Wednesday 18 October.


Any queries about the electoral process can also be directed to Coventry City Council’s Electoral Services department:

Post: PO Box 15, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry CV1 5RR
Phone: 024 7683 3034
Email: electoral.services@coventry.gov.uk

Liveable Neighbourhood Meeting

On Sunday 8th October, 2pm-5pm, there will be a community meeting at Hearsall Golf Club, Beechwood Avenue, to discuss the Liveable Neighbourhood proposals.

This will be run by and for Earlsdon residents, so people can talk openly and listen to others views on the proposals. This event is not being organised by the council’s Liveable Neighbourhood project team. ECHO is still pushing for the latter to reschedule the public meeting that was cancelled on 14th September.

The proposals are summarised in the current issue of ECHO and can be seen in full detail, in 18 separate information sheets, online at:

https://letstalk.coventry.gov.uk/elnproposals


Earlsdon Liveable Neighbourhood

These are the personal views of Claire McArthur, not ECHO’s.

The consultation period for the Earlsdon Liveable Neighbourhood Proposals will run until 29 October. In response to public feedback from the initial consultation, the proposed measures cover a wider area than initially planned. Additional funding secured from Sustrans to improve the National Cycle Network 52 cycle route which runs through Earlsdon has assisted in facilitating this extension.
A primary intention of a Liveable Neighbourhood (LN) Scheme is to reduce the volume of through traffic along residential roads by encouraging vehicles onto roads that are more suitable for high traffic volumes. Analysis of traffic flows shows that a substantial proportion of traffic in Earlsdon is not local and is not stopping in the area. The Earlsdon LN Scheme seeks to direct such traffic to make a wider diversion around the area using roads such as the Kenilworth Road, the A45 and Butts Road. These roads have been specifically adapted or built for the purpose of absorbing greater volumes of through traffic. Inevitably, some measures will also change the way that local traffic can use residential streets. In reality, this may necessitate taking a different route (which in turn may mean a slightly longer journey time) but it will not mean that access to roads is denied. Local traffic will not be prevented from moving around and through Earlsdon but it will need to make some adjustment as to how it moves.

The proposed scheme is comprehensive and detailed. There is a great deal to read and perhaps it is tempting to concentrate on proposals that particularly affect the street on which you live. However, the measures are designed to be ‘joined up’ and most will produce benefits beyond their immediate vicinity, for example:

• The traffic calming measures proposed for Beechwood Avenue are specifically designed to make it (and adjoining roads) unattractive in terms of speeding and rat running. The subsequent reduction in traffic volumes should more than offset any potential displacement of vehicles resulting from the proposed measures for Arden Street. In addition, traffic will be required to drive more appropriately.
• The Dalton Road bus gate proposal (which allows access for buses, taxis, cycles and blue lights but not other vehicles) will not only reduce the volume of speeding traffic along Spencer Avenue but will reduce traffic on Beechwood Avenue, Warwick Road and Leamington Road, as people are no longer using Warwick Road to access Spencer Road as part of a through journey.
• The small increase in traffic in some parts of Earlsdon Avenue would be offset by reductions elsewhere, and again, by the fact that vehicles will be travelling more appropriately.
• Reducing through traffic and the ‘space’ that it creates within a LN provides opportunities for the safer movement of pedestrians and cyclists and generates a positive impact on people living there. Comprehensive studies of the impact of similar schemes show that roads within a LN generally experience a 50% reduction in road casualties and an increase in more active travel with people choosing to walk or cycle locally. People are making these choices not because their opportunity to drive has been limited but because they recognise that lower (through) traffic volumes in tandem with a reduced speed limit* means that their streets have become safer. LN also report a reduction in street crime and no adverse impact on emergency vehicle response times. It is also important to note that LN schemes have no consistent impact on boundary roads. A study by Possible and The University of Westminster’s Active Travel Academy found that average decreases in motor traffic on roads within LN to be: “almost 10 times higher than average increases in motor traffic on boundary roads, suggesting…a substantial overall reduction in traffic.”

*The 30mph limit for built up areas was set in 1934. It was fundamentally an arbitrary decision made with little evidence or research on survivability rates from collisions. Given our modern, congested urban roads with their mix of vehicles and vulnerable road users an adjustment downwards seems a valid consideration. ROSPA are clear that: “20 mph speed limits can result in 40% fewer collisions and a seven-fold reduction in deaths.” The World Health Organisation (WHO) says: “A safe speed on roads with possible conflicts between cars, pedestrians and cyclists is 20mph”. Interestingly, research suggests that, whilst crash outcomes are far better at 20 than at 30mph, traffic flow and journey times don’t seem to change very much.

Clare McArthur
(member of Earlsdon Community Speedwatch)

Phoenix Players Production Dates

Further to the article on page 31 of the October ECHO about the Phoenix Players, they have now sent the following update:
“We have finally heard from the church committee regarding our production dates. They are to be 30th November and 1st and 2nd December.”

Earlsdon Liveable Neighbourhood Meeting Cancelled

Tonight’s meeting has been cancelled at short notice.

https://letstalk.coventry.gov.uk/elnproposals?fbclid=IwAR1BwHmiYu1t2c9U4YIdZBhgbLglZT1NYhJckwCqCSaJYhyq5Q99zZ2jP_o

The notification (which only came to light by chance when an ECHO team member was checking the start time) says the reason is “limited capacity and expected high turn out”.

The latter, at least. should surely indicate that the meeting needs to go ahead, not that it should be cancelled.

If the capacity is inadequate then a bigger venue on a rearranged date is the very least the public should expect.

EARLSDON BY ELECTION IMMINENT


Becky Gittins, who has served as one of Earlsdon’s three Labour councillors since 2019, has announced that she will be standing down this month. Having been selected to run for Parliament in her hometown in North Wales, as well as having recently got married, she has taken this decision in order to ensure that Earlsdon can have three full-time councillors.

Dates for the by-election will be announced by Coventry City Council’s Electoral Services team as soon as possible. By law, any vacancy on the City Council must bfilled within 35 working days of the writ for an election to be held being moved.