Locals' fears as drivers 'go through on amber or race off' at Longbridge roundabout

-Credit: (Image: PhotoAlto / Odilon Dimier via Getty)
-Credit: (Image: PhotoAlto / Odilon Dimier via Getty)


Locals say a safety review is desperately needed on the A429 towards the M40 Longbridge roundabout. They claim that the junction either needs a yellow box, a longer delay at the lights or traffic signals.

They are urging Warwickshire County Council, which is responsible for highways, to urgently look at the situation, which they say is getting worse due to the increasing numbers of traffic. They claim that is 'particularly bad 'during rush hour, but added that queues can form at any time of day.

In a petition to the county council, the campaigners say that the A429 is the only junction with no traffic signals and relies on a slight delay at the lights coming off the A46 and round from the M40 junction. "This is currently not fit for purpose due to cars either going through on amber or often doing a racing start from the lights," the petition states.

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"Many of us have seen some incredibly near misses where vehicles speed off from the lights just after the M40 junction and swerve to avoid a collision with vehicles pulling out from A429 junction."

They claim that vehicles struggle to pull out of the A429 as the entrance onto the roundabout is blocked with cars queuing to get off at the Barford junction. They say this causes further traffic tail backs along the A429 towards Tournament fields. "This affects cars pulling out from the hotel/The Peacocks entrance wishing to turn right," the petition states.

It adds: "We have witnessed vehicles, including buses, using the wrong side of the road, going around the bollards to get into the middle and right-hand lanes."

They say that the road is busy with traffic heading to McDonald's, Forever Living and the Holiday Inn, the Delta hotel and The Peacocks, as well as the bus stops. This, they claim, will be made worse when the new drive-thru coffee shop at the hotel opens.

So far, more than 300 people have signed the online petition and there remains several weeks until the deadline -November 20.

The full e-petition can be found online here

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