LESS CASH TO TACKLE POTHOLES
LESS money is to be spent on patching up potholes in Coventry as part of plans by the council to cut the roads budget by a third.
And a raft of other changes are being planned which could further affect road users.
They include increasing the charges for residents parking schemes, new bus gate cameras and increased car parking charges in city centre car parks too.
The controlling Labour group is proposing to slash the £2.4million budget for roads maintenance by £850,000 in 2020/21.
Savings would reduce to £350,000 the following year.
The cost-cutting scheme forms part of Coventry City Council’s spending budget in 2020/21 as it attempts to plug a £16.7million funding gap.
But council bosses believe the city’s highways will be able to cope.
“Streets in Coventry are in the main far better than other cities in the West Midlands,” said cabinet member for finance Cllr John Mutton.
“It is for one year only and only a small amount coming out in the next year. At the present time officers are advising we can take £850,00 out for one year.
“If we have a fairly mild winter then I have been assured that is do-able. If it is a bad one and the roads are deteriorating then we will have to use reserves to bring places back up to speed.”
A raft of other changes are being planned which could further affect road users.
There are proposals to bring in £60,000 in fines by installing cameras on three currently unenforced bus gates: the entrance to Whitefriars car park, the bus lane into University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, and on Stoney Stanton Road outside Gallagher Retail Park.
Cllr Mutton said: “Those areas of the city where we need to retain bus lanes, these needs to be enforced.
“Road users who abide by the law would be unaffected.”
Residents parking schemes - currently costing £20 for three years - could also see increased charges as they change to just one year, with finance chiefs predicting the move will generate £300,000.
“It won’t lead to more parking problems,” Cllr Mutton assured when asked.
“I have got two streets in my ward that are having serious problems because of workers from the industrial site parking there.
“They want a residents parking scheme and they realise there will be a small charge and they are happy to pay that.”
The authority’s budget report also makes mention of a review of parking charges for city centre car parks, although no details have been given.
This would not see extra income until 2021/22 when it creates a further £100,000, with an extra £100,000 added for each of the next two years.
Plans will be taken to cabinet on November 19 as part of the budget-setting process, and taken to consultation before final approval in the new year.