Further speed limit reductions set to hit roads surrounding University

Coventry City Council has announced plans to tighten speed limits on two roads surrounding the University of Warwick.

The proposed changes impact both Gibbet Hill Road, which runs through the University, and Stoneleigh Road. The roads are now set to have a speed limit of 30mph, down from the current 40mph limit.

Both roads are used heavily by buses that stop at the University Interchange, although they are otherwise largely residential. 

The plans state that the speed limit reduction will “improve the appeal and safety of this length of road for cyclists and residents

The City Council submitted proposals to change the speed limits on 1 August, with the full plans available to view on its website. 

The plans state that the speed limit reduction will “improve the appeal and safety of this length of road for cyclists and residents”. The proposals follow concerns raised by local residents over the current higher speed limits.

Parts of Gibbet Hill Road are already covered by a 30mph speed limit, although the entirety of Stoneleigh Road currently has a 40mph limit. The changes will provide “consistency and continuity” of speed along the roads, according to reports.

The council have added that the speed limit reductions will improve the safety of pedestrians using the Gibbet Hill bus stop

Gibbet Hill Campus bus stop, which is currently within the 40mph stretch of the road, is set to be impacted by the plans and will fall under the new speed limit.

The Council have added that the speed limit reductions will improve the safety of pedestrians using the bus stop, while also improving access for pedestrians and cyclists travelling to the University. 

It is not the first that Coventry City Council has lodged plans to change speed limits in the city this year. In April, it was reported that plans for blanket 20mph zones in parts of the city had been approved, in a plan to introduce “liveable neighbourhoods” across Coventry. 

It is not yet known when the proposed changes will come into effect. Members of the public have until 22 August to submit any objections to the city council.