County council urged to 'get off their backsides' over Leamington bridge project

A councillor is keen to see the county council “get off their backsides” in relation to a bridge building project on Europa Way between Leamington and Warwick.

Warwick District Council’s cabinet – the Conservative-led team of councillors in charge – this week released funds to pay for feasibility work on two bridges for pedestrians and cyclists.

One of them is proposed to cross over Europa Way to the south of Warwick and Leamington with £65,000 being put forward by the district, progress that

Councillor Alan Rhead (Con, Budbrooke) was pleased to see.

“When it comes to the bridge over Europa Way, I was the one who asked for this in the first place,” he said.

“The county council had the extraordinary idea that cyclists and pedestrians were going to cross a dual carriageway at Europa Way with traffic lights. Frankly, that is just one of my frustrations with the county council.

“This is very important because as the chief executive [Chris Elliott] reminded me earlier this morning, by releasing these funds we are going to get the county council to get off their backsides to get this design moving forward.

“We have CIL (community infrastructure levy, a charge local authorities can set on new developments to help fund the infrastructure) money already in place, from our local CIL fund and from Bishop’s Tachbrook, and we really need to get on with it. I am so frustrated that this is taking so long since the idea changed from traffic lights to a bridge.

“It should be a great gateway to open up our communities. I really think it is a great idea.”

Leader Councillor Andrew Day (Con, Bishop’s Tachbrook) reported further progress.

“We had a project board meeting today (Wednesday), the county council is commissioning not only engineers but architects now and if we agree this funding, that will facilitate that going to the next stage,” he said.

“I think they have found a bit of their own money in the wash-up of this financial year to help keep the process moving so who knows, one day we may meet from either side of that bridge, Councillor Rhead.”

The other bridge is set to cross the River Avon, linking the village of Bubbenhall to a new country park with the district contributing £30,000 to a feasibility study.

Councillor Richard Hales (Con, Kenilworth Abbey & Arden) said: “It really is important that we support our parishes.

“I know a lot of focus has been on Europa Way and I am not dismissing that but for the residents of the parishes that maybe don’t see the direct impact, it is important we support them as well.

“It is a really good project that has the full support of the ward councillors there and the parish council.”

The funding allocations were supported by the three opposition group leaders.