Coventry City Council U-turns on CBS Arena car ban plans
Coventry City Council has scrapped plans to ban cars from stopping outside the CBS Arena on match days
Coventry City Council has made a U-turn over proposals to ban cars from stopping on a road outside the CBS Arena on match days.
It will now come up with a fresh plan that will allow people to be dropped off ahead of games after a number of objections were received.
A report by David Keaney, the council’s head of network management, looking at the restrictions considered for Judd’s Lane explained the ‘no stopping restriction’ had been considered to improve pedestrian access and safety to and from the stadium as well as removing parking causing obstructions.
There would have been exemptions for taxis and disabled badge holders.
He said: “Vehicular access to the arena is limited to one road (Judd’s Lane) which brings about interaction and conflict between vehicles and pedestrians on this road. Parking also takes place on Judd’s Lane which causes reduced access and obstruction.
“The proposal would also have prevented any vehicle, including blue badge holders, from parking on the road at any time. Mindful of the objections received, options for private vehicles have been re-examined.”
The report explained that the only suitable drop-off points were either on the other side of a dual-carriageway or 900 metres away, which would have involved crossing busy streets and had the potential to cause issues in already busy residential areas.
There was also no designated place for official supporters club coaches to drop off fans.
Three people objected to the plans, flagging up the concerns and that prompted a rethink by officers. The report stated: “It is consequently recommended that the current proposal is abandoned in its entirety and a new proposal, designed to remove the objections is progressed.”
At a meeting with the cabinet member for city services, Cllr Patricia Hetherton, Mr Keaney said: “There are genuine concerns that need to be considered so we are suggesting that we withdraw the order as made and seek your agreement to take on board the objections raised before bringing forward another set of proposals that deem to address those concerns as much as possible and balance meeting the needs of that location and ensure cars are parked in a manner that supports the stadium’s activities but which doesn’t concern the local community.”
Pete Cattell, one of those who objected to the plan, also spoke at the meeting. He said: “I raised concerns because I worry about the people I drop off at the stadium. It seemed that the proposals were going to cause problems.
“When I drive there, it is chaos with people and cars all over the place. But people actually behave very well. I have been dropping these people off ever since Coventry came back to the stadium and I have never experienced even a near miss. The people I drop off don’t have blue badges but their mobility is poor. My view is that if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
Cllr Hetherton said: “I couldn’t agree with you more. Everybody always seems so kind and helpful and it is a lovely atmosphere. We need to enable people to be dropped off and ensure that everyone can enjoy themselves.”