The Parish council was very pleased with the turn-out for the first ‘Community Drop-In session’ held at the Sports Club on Friday, 21 August. This was an opportunity for residents to voice their concerns and opinions on traffic and highways issues in the parish. County Councillor Ben Edwards was in attendance and was able to provide information on what the County Council is able to do to address highways issues and the costs of various interventions. Individual roads and the problems encountered there were discussed.
Two particular issues were raised:
- Speeding cars down Hill Wootton Road in Leek Wootton. Parish Councillors followed this up with Warwickshire Police and the Inspector for Traffic Enforcement was made aware of the problem. Consequently, a police vehicle was posted in Hill Wootton Road on a subsequent morning, and evidence of traffic infringements obtained. Obviously, this was just one occasion and will not in itself solve the problem. Residents are encouraged to report any and all further incidences using the on-line reporting form at https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rs/road-safety/making-a-road-traffic-incident-report/ or by telephoning 101.
The Parish Council is keen to hear from any resident who would be prepared to join Community Speedwatch.
- Concerns were expressed by several drivers who had received penalty notices/ letters which seemingly related to driving too close to pedal cyclists, or overtaking them on double-white lines on the Warwick Road. Parish Councillors consequently requested guidance from the Police and also from Bikeability on this matter. The information obtained has been summarised and is available on the parish website. If you have been affected by someone reporting you, or are concerned about this issue, and want to know that you are driving/ riding safely, do please read this and share the information with others.
The next Community Drop-In Session will take place on Thursday: 8 October at 7:45pm at the Village Hall when potential planning developments in and adjacent to the parish will be discussed. Do come along so that Parish Councillors can hear your views.
Notes on the Highway Code
- Since the revision of the Highway Code a few years ago, greater emphasis has been placed on the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. If you haven’t read the Highway Code for some time, do please read the following sections:
(a) Rules 127 – 132 re line markings
(b) Rules 162 – 167 re overtaking
(c) Rules 212 and 213 re cyclists - In relation to the double white lines on Warwick Road, while Rule 165 states “You MUST NOT overtake if you would have to cross or straddle double white lines with a solid line nearest to you”, Rule 129 states “You may cross the line if necessary, provided the road is clear, to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph (16 km/h) or less.” At the same time, Rule 162 states that, “you should leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph” (which is the speed limit on Warwick Road). This is a greater distance than one might imagine (remember the 2-metre rule during Covid!) and Rule 163 states that drivers should “Give vulnerable road users at least as much space as you would a car” and Rule 167 explicitly states “DO NOT overtake …. on the approach to crossing facilities” (there is a crossing on Warwick Road). Thus. residents might want to exercise extreme caution before overtaking on this stretch of road, particularly in bad weather or at night. The Highway Code
- Children who undertake Bikeability training are taught about primary and secondary road positions. As there is no reference to these in the Highway Code, we have sought further explanation to help both drivers and cyclists. The information we have been given by Bikeability is as follows:
“Although the Highway Code does not generally use the terms ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ position, the principles are reflected in the guidance provided to cyclists. Rule 72 states that cyclists should either:
– Ride in the centre of their lane where this improves visibility or where it would be unsafe for drivers to overtake, such as when approaching junctions, road narrowings or other hazards.
– Position themselves further left when it is safe and appropriate for vehicles to overtake, whilst maintaining a safe distance from the kerb.
Within cycle training, these positions are often described as ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ position, including Bikeability training delivered in schools, to help cyclists understand how to position themselves safely and effectively on the road (www.bikeability.org.uk)
We also use more child friendly language to describe these. Our preferred terms are ‘follow me’ for primary and ‘pass me’ for secondary, as we find these are easier to understand. We encourage the use of dynamic road positioning, meaning cyclists should continuously assess conditions and adjust their position according to the road environment, traffic speed, visibility and hazards. In terms of driver awareness, the Highway Code changes introduced in 2022 placed greater emphasis on safe interaction with vulnerable road users. The aim is not to give cyclists priority over other road users, but rather to help them position themselves in a way that maximises visibility, predictability and safety. Drivers are expected to recognise that cyclists may ride in the centre of a lane where this is the safest position. Increasing awareness amongst all road users of why cyclists sometimes ride centrally can help reduce misunderstanding and improve safety. As the Highway Code evolves, there is increasing recognition that understanding these principles benefits both cyclists and drivers, particularly on rural roads where vehicle speeds may be higher and overtaking opportunities more limited. How we effectively raise awareness of this is a constant challenge for us and other active travel organisations”. - Electric vehicles can be significantly quieter than conventional petrol or diesel vehicles, particularly at lower speeds. As a result, some cyclists and pedestrians may have less auditory warning of an approaching vehicle. To address this, regulations now require many electric and hybrid vehicles to be fitted with an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS), which emits an artificial sound at lower speeds to help alert other road users to the vehicle’s presence. Bikeability say:
“Cycle training generally encourages riders not to rely solely on hearing when assessing traffic. Instead, cyclists are taught to make regular observations, including looking behind, checking over their shoulder before changing position, and maintaining awareness of the wider traffic environment.” - Residents, whether or not they are drivers, non-drivers or cyclists, may not be aware of Operation Snap. As part of Operation Snap, members of the public can report and submit digital footage showing potential moving traffic offences. This includes dangerous driving, using a mobile phone, driving without due care and attention, careless driving, overtaking on solid white lines, not in proper control, ignoring traffic lights or dangerous driving around other road users, such as horse riders and cyclists. Incidents can be reported directly to the Force where the incident occurred but the public is encouraged to use the National Dash Cam Safety Portal (NDSP). Footage can be uploaded from any dash cam, mobile phone or any other type of camera. Submissions about moving traffic offences will be sent to the police force where the alleged offence occurred and will be reviewed by a road traffic police officer. The options for police action following review are No Further Action, Driver Education Course, Fixed Penalty Notice or Summons to Court. For more information about Operation Snap, go to https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/police-forces/warwickshire-police/areas/warwickshire-police/campaigns/campaigns/2019/operation-snap/
- As with many road safety initiatives, Operation Snap reports involving cyclists can sometimes highlight differing perceptions between cyclists and drivers regarding road positioning and overtaking. In recent years, some submissions have related to close passes, overtaking manoeuvres, or drivers attempting to pass cyclists where insufficient space was available. As vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders are deemed to be at much greater risk of serious injury and death than those in cars, the priority will always be to protect those most vulnerable.