Accident blackspot in Stoneleigh to be 'made safer'

An accident blackspot near one of the region’s leading conference centres is to be made one-way in a bid to make it safer.

A Warwickshire County Council report explained that previous measures to tackle problems at the junction of Stareton Road and the B4113 Stoneleigh Road near to NAEC Stoneleigh had failed and that there had been seven collisions in the past three years.

The report said: “Most of these accidents are due to vehicles exiting the NAEC access and colliding with vehicles travelling northbound on Stoneleigh Lane. Previously engineering measures have been introduced, however a road safety audit on those measures has highlighted that these have been ineffective in tackling the safety issues at this location.”

This latest scheme will involve the introduction of bollards, a ghost-right turn into the NAEC, additional road markings and no entry into Stareton Lane by virtue of the proposed one-way system.

The report added: “Historically this location has a collision problem which has led to it being identified as a priority casualty reduction scheme. Key accident data has been gathered which has formalised the proposed scheme.”

While the report noted that there had been positive feedback from the local community for the new measures, there had also been objections with one person suggesting that the one-way system would not reduce the number of accidents.

But a county council engineer quoted in the report said: “The accident statistics which have been reviewed and analysed highlight that banning this manoeuvre will reduce collisions occurring at this location as most of these collisions were the result of vehicles turning right out of Stareton Lane.

“The level of conflict between the entrance of the NAEC show ground and Stareton Lane will be significantly reduced as vehicles will not be crossing directly over the B113 Stoneleigh Road to access one another.”

The scheme, which will cost around £45,000, was agreed by Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for transport and planning Cllr Jeff Clarke - one of a number of decisions made by portfolio holders due to the postponement of council meetings due to the coronavirus lockdown.