Roadworks in Spon End to last until next year
THE roadworks in Spon End will keep going until next year, it has emerged.
Coventry City Council say air quality work it is carrying out won’t be completed until spring 2023 which is bad news for motorists currently sick of the traffic in the area.
The stretch of road from Spon End to Butts Lane needs to be widened after the Government said a charging zone would need to be introduced if the city council didn’t do something to help reduce nitrogen dioxide levels in the city. Holyhead Road has the highest levels and the aim is to give traffic heading into the city centre more than one main road to use.
The work and lane closures has meant travelling out of the city centre has gone down to one lane and it is creating traffic flow problems.
The city council has said it will continue to monitor traffic and say that even though at busy times there are delays, it is still moving.
However, the roadworks in the area are expected to be introduced in phases and won’t remain in this current state for the entire year.
A spokesperson for the city council said they’re happy with how the work is progressing and believe it will prevent further damage down Holyhead Road.
Work on the scheme at Spon End has already been controversial. Protesters forced the city council to delay the work after they objected to the scheme.
Some complained the road-widening scheme would bring traffic nearer to their homes. The site was fenced off but campaigners descended in February, halting a tree removal at the centre of the scheme.
The battle went to court and the protesters lost. Local resident Gibo Gibson said at the time: “We’re here protesting peacefully [and] it’s not just about the trees - it’s about moving the pollution from one area to another, which they have not taken into account.”
The council said trees were not being removed unless necessary and said they would replant 27 more.
A spokesman said at the time: “We have made it absolutely clear that if we don’t complete this work to help improve air quality on Holyhead Road we will be mandated by government to implement a charge zone.”