Warwickshire Highways Inaction on Road Safety in Dunchurch Sparks Council Disappointment

In September 2024, the Parish Council commissioned a detailed traffic volume and speed survey across five key 30mph roads: Coventry Road, Daventry Road, Northampton Lane, Rugby Road, and Southam Road. The results were deeply concerning.

Over a two-week period, the survey recorded an astonishing 533,981 vehicle movements. Nearly half (48%) of those vehicles were travelling at or above the 30mph limit. More alarmingly, 1,852 vehicles were recorded exceeding 50mph, and every single road surveyed saw speeds exceeding 75mph.

In light of this data, the Parish Council submitted a formal request for the installation of average speed cameras on all five routes, believing this to be a proportionate and necessary step to protect the safety and wellbeing of Dunchurch residents.

However, Warwickshire County Council’s Road Safety Group responded that the roads did not meet the criteria for further intervention under the current pilot scheme. Their justification was that the data did not demonstrate sufficient accident history or severity to warrant camera installation, despite the clear evidence of persistent high-speed driving and the daily risks it poses.

This response has left the Parish Council—and many residents—frustrated. We believe the role of road safety policy should be proactive, not reactive. Waiting for serious accidents to occur before acting fails the principle of prevention, especially in a village with vulnerable road users including schoolchildren, older residents, and active pedestrians and cyclists.

We have now published both our original letter and the official response from the Road Safety Group below. These documents will also be shared via our Facebook page and summarised in the next edition of the Dunchurch Village Magazine.

The Parish Council will be submitting a further letter to reiterate our concerns and renew our request for serious consideration of enforcement measures. We remain committed to ensuring the safety of all who live in and travel through Dunchurch.

If you would like to support this effort or share your own experiences of speeding in the parish, please contact the Clerk at: clerk@dunchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk