OVERWHELMING public support has been given to plans to revamp a vital roundabout between Rugby and Lutterworth in a recent survey.
In a poll of 500 residents living within five miles of the Gibbet Hill junction, which links the A5 and A426, three-quarters of them agreed an upgrade would boost the economy.
Midlands Connect, the transport body for the region, is trying to build a case for government funds to help improve the roundabout on the border between Warwickshire and Leicestershire, which it says is at ‘critical mass’ and needs ‘urgent attention’ to prevent increasing congestion.
The junction is at 98 per cent capacity every morning, with the traffic bottleneck causing daily delays and driver frustration.
Respondents to the survey, which was carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Midlands Connect, also recognised the impact the congestion and gridlock can have on the environment.
When asked what benefits they would like to see as a result of improvements at Gibbet Hill, just under half said decreased queuing would minimise the impact on the environment, 47 per cent said it would improve traffic flow in the surrounding areas, and 46 per cent said it would decrease ‘rat-running’ through local villages.
The survey also asked people to share their personal experiences of the congestion, with respondents mentioning slow-moving traffic, complete standstills, journeys becoming frustrating and time-consuming, and drivers taking around 20 minutes to get through the congestion.
Swati Mittal, Integrated Transport Programme Lead for Midlands Connect, said: “We are working to highlight the need for critical upgrades to this important junction in our strategic road network.
“These first-hand experiences of the congestion really demonstrate the need for improvements.
“We know during peak times, the volume of traffic is close to, or exceeding traffic capacity and the resulting in delays are impacting residents, businesses and commuters.”
Coun Tony Gillias, Chairman of the A5 Partnership and a Rugby Borough Councillor, said: “The A5 at Gibbet Hill is an area that urgently needs upgrading, it is clearly at critical mass.
“At the moment it is often heavily congested, and residents, businesses and commuters are using rat-run routes to try to avoid it.
“Improvements are needed to this junction to stop the tailbacks and gridlock, and ease the negative impacts being felt in the surrounding villages and communities.”
