Half a million pounds of Government funds being made available to upgrade ten of the city’s traffic light systems will be critical in supporting residents to get out and about safely.
That’s according to the Cabinet Member responsible for city services in Coventry who has bid for the funding from the Department of Transport’s Green Light Fund to tune up and replace unreliable, outdated and pedestrian crossing systems such as Pelican crossings. In Coventry, money will upgrade these to Puffin crossings to improve current traffic flow and make our roads safer to cross.
Puffin crossings have clever technology that uses sensors that detect when a crossing is clear, rather than a Pelican crossing that works according to set timers with flashing green man and amber signals.
Around 13 of these traffic light crossings currently operate as Pelican crossings with three already scheduled to be upgraded this year as part of existing programmes of work. This funding will be used to upgrade the final ten of these from Pelican to Puffin crossings.
- Victoria St / King William St
- Holbrook Lane / Burnaby Rd (southbound)
- Holbrook Lane / Burnaby Rd (northbound)
- Foleshill Rd / Churchill Ave
- Walsgrave Rd / Burns Rd West
- St James Lane / Remembrance Rd
- Tile Hill Lane / Limbrick Ave
- Tile Hill Lane / Beech Tree Ave
- Kirby Corner Rd
- Broad Lane / Farcroft Ave
This will also help to improve air quality by improving traffic flow, reducing congestion and supporting the decarbonisation of the transport system.
Coventry City Council is one of 67 local authorities nationally, to have been awarded a share of £50m as part of the government’s Plan for drivers measures to improve traffic flow and conditions.
Cllr Patricia Hetherton, Cabinet Member for City Services said: “I am delighted that Coventry will have an extra half a million pounds to upgrade ten traffic light systems. This will make a huge difference in aiding vulnerable road users to get out and about and move around the city safely, which remains our road safety priority.
“The detection sensors that are built into clever technology will mean, residents can feel secure in crossing the road at a pace that is safest for them, which is hugely important to good wellbeing and maintaining independence. This will also be hugely beneficial for drivers, particularly in busy periods where the new signals will be monitored in real time, which will minimise traffic disruption and lead to more consistent journey times.”
The upgrades will start later this year and run through to 2026.
Read more information about the Department of Transport’s Green Light Fund.