John Slinger MP wants the A426 cut from 60mph to 40mph between M6 Junction 1 and the Boughton Road roundabout. Sign online; public meeting on 14 November.

Rugby’s MP, John Slinger, has started a petition asking Warwickshire County Council to cut the speed limit on the A426 from 60mph to 40mph between M6 Junction 1 and the Kipling / Boughton Road roundabout, the dual carriageway stretch that runs past Brownsover and Coton Park.

The road south of that roundabout is already 40mph, so the change would make the whole of the A426 from the motorway into town 40mph, according to the petition page on Mr Slinger’s website. He is also holding a public meeting on Saturday 14 November; the venue and time are not published, and residents who want to go are asked to email john.slinger.mp@parliament.uk for the details.

Map of the A426 running south from M6 Junction 1 past Coton Park and Brownsover to the Boughton Road roundabout, marked Proposed 40mph, currently 60mph, with the road beyond the roundabout marked Already 40mph.
The stretch of the A426 the petition covers, from M6 Junction 1 to the Boughton Road roundabout; the campaign marks it as illustrative and not to scale. Map: supplied by the office of John Slinger MP

Why he says 60mph is too fast

Residents have repeatedly contacted him about speeding and traffic noise on the route, the MP’s office said in its release on 3 November. Since his election he has taken the issue to National Highways, Warwickshire Police and the county council.

His office’s research, using collision figures from the House of Commons Library, suggests crashes on the A426 are concentrated on the approaches to the roundabouts, which the release says indicates speed may be contributing to the risk. It also points to the pavements, pedestrian crossings and homes close to the road.

“Residents have consistently raised concerns about speeding and traffic noise on this section of the A426,” Mr Slinger said. “We know collisions occur on the approaches to the roundabouts, and there are pavements and crossing points used by pedestrians throughout an area surrounded by homes. In those circumstances, 60mph is simply too fast for this stretch of road.

“That’s why I’m asking local people to support this campaign and add their names to my petition. Together, we can send a strong message that action is needed to make this road safer.”

On the petition page he singles out the Eden Park roundabout: “Anyone who has tried to pull out of the Eden Park roundabout, whether leaving the estate or the hotel, knows how hard it is with traffic coming down and up the hill at 60mph or more. It makes no sense for a roundabout serving a housing estate and a hotel to open straight onto a 60mph dual carriageway.”

He also argues the slower limit would cost drivers little: “Driving this stretch at 40mph rather than 60mph adds less than a minute. Saving less than a minute is not worth the life of a single person.”

The authorities are not yet persuaded

The petition page is frank that the campaign starts from a “no”. Mr Slinger writes that Warwickshire Police, the county council and National Highways “have told me their view that a reduction in the speed limit may not be justified by the surrounding road environment. I do not believe this reflects the realities faced by local residents or the risks to pedestrians.”

That is why he wants a show of public support. He says he will present the petition to the county council, then take it to Parliament and ask the Government to work with Warwickshire County Council on the change.

Other dual carriageways nearby with lower limits

The release lists comparable roads in the area that already run below 60mph:

  • London Road, Coventry: 30mph
  • Holyhead Road, Coventry: sections at 30mph, despite being dual carriageway
  • A45: 40mph, even where a service road separates homes from the main carriageway
  • A444: drops from 70mph to 50mph coming off the M6

The county councillor’s view

Senthil Karadiar, the county councillor for Brownsover and Coton Park, backs the petition. “As the County Councillor for Brownsover and Coton Park, I have consistently campaigned for reducing the speed limit on the A426,” he said. “Residents deserve safer roads, less traffic noise and a better quality of life. I welcome John Slinger’s support and urge everyone to sign this petition to achieve meaningful change.”

What it means for you

  • To sign: go to john-slinger.co.uk/a426. It is open to residents of the Rugby, Bulkington and the Villages constituency, and asks for your name, email and postcode; the page says the email and postcode are never published, and you can choose whether your name is listed.
  • To report a crash or near miss on this road (or the A5 at Newton), the same page has a form. It is not a crime report: for an emergency call 999, and report dangerous driving to Warwickshire Police online or on 101.
  • To go to the meeting on Saturday 14 November: email john.slinger.mp@parliament.uk or call the Rugby office on 01788 227444.
  • Nothing changes yet. The limit is the county council’s decision, and the release gives no date for one. Current works and closures are on our Rugby roadworks and travel page.

The petition sits alongside other changes on Rugby’s main roads this autumn: National Highways is consulting on three options for the A5 Gibbet Hill junction until 17 November.