[27
MAR 01] SPON END FORUM NEWS
Anti-Road Campaign Gathers Pace
Another
group of Coventry residents has been mobilised to fight a
road-widening scheme, and the city council has been forced to extend
the deadline for comments.
More
than 150 neighbours living in Allesley Old Road have agreed to join a
campaign against plans to demolish Stanley Terrace at the junction
with their street and Hearsall Lane.
Coventry
City Council traffic officers want to knock down the historic
buildings to make way for a new bus scheme heading into the city from
Tile Hill.
Residents
are angry at the plans, which have not yet been approved by
councillors, as they believe Stanley Terrace should be refurbished.
They
are also calling for the bus showcase scheme to be included in a wider
debate about traffic in the area.
The
Coventry Development Plan, the official guide to long-term policy in
the city, says that Allesley Old Road should be used as the major
route into the city from the south instead of Holyhead Road.
Consultation
on the showcase scheme was due to end this week, but has been extended
after a councillor pointed out that traffic officers were not giving
at least three weeks.
Cllr
Dave Nellist (Socialist, St Michael’s) said:
"When
the papers for these plans came before the city council's
Ratification Committee I objected that there was no defined period
for the consultation process.
"Council
officers assured me at that meeting that there would be a minimum
period of three weeks. Issuing leaflets on 19 March for return on 30
March is clearly not three weeks."
A
council spokesperson said:
“We
are asking that local residents respond to the 'Street News' that
was delivered to their door as soon as possible.
“We
do normally find, that if we do not receive feedback from the
newsletter within a couple of weeks after it's delivery, then we do
not receive the 'Freepost Replies' at all.”
But
with petitions being circulated, and nine groups of residents all
opposing the scheme, the deadline has been extended until the end of
April.
The
plans have gone on show at the Koco Building at the Arches in Spon End
today from 10am to 8pm, and will be there until Thursday. Officers
will be on hand to answer questions today and Thursday.
SEE
[22 MAR 01] WATCHMAKERS
OPPOSE DEMOLITION PLANS
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