Coventry Council Approves Tree Removal for Cycleway Completion

Coventry City Council has approved the removal of 26 trees to facilitate the construction of the final segment of a cycling route that has experienced significant delays. The decision to complete the 6km (3.7-mile) Binley Cycleway was made by a senior councillor during a meeting held on Monday. This £12m route is intended to connect the city centre with University Hospital Coventry, with the majority of its construction already finished. However, a specific portion of the route on Clifford Bridge Road has been postponed for years due to strong opposition from local residents. This section underwent multiple redesigns after residents voiced concerns regarding safety, the preservation of roadside trees, and car parking. The revised plan received formal approval from Councillor Patricia Hetherton, the cabinet member for city services, who stated that the authority had considered residents’ feedback and implemented changes based on their suggestions. “I’m saddened we’re losing those trees. If we reduced the width of the highway, we could have saved more trees,” she told BBC CWR. “But clearly the residents didn’t want that, and as a consequence we’re having to lose more trees.” The council indicated that the trees would be replaced by 32 saplings, which are expected to offer “greater long-term benefits.” Upon the announcement of the decision, residents attending the meeting vocally expressed their disapproval, shouting “shocking” and “shame on you.” A petition advocating for the preservation of the trees collected over 4,000 signatures, and hundreds of campaigners participated in a tree-hugging event the previous month. The initiative also garnered celebrity backing, with Sir David Attenborough providing advice on tree conservation in correspondence addressed to an 11-year-old local resident. Martina Irwin, an advocate for saving the trees, addressed the meeting, stating that there was “nothing wrong with any of them.” She asserted that local authorities nationwide had “failed to acknowledge the strength of feeling from residents about trees in their communities” and cautioned that a similar situation might unfold in Coventry. When questioned about Sir David’s potential reaction to her decision, Ms Hetherton responded: “I think Sir David would be thrilled to bits that we’re doing a cycle path that gets people out of cars and on to cycles.” She further commented: “The devil is always in the detail and when you give people a headline, they can respond accordingly. But when you actually show them what you’re trying to do, it has a different impact.” Dawn McCann, who assisted in organizing the tree-hugging event, contended that the cycleway lacked safety. She highlighted a potential for collisions involving cyclists and vehicles exiting driveways along Clifford Bridge Road. The council stated that it had evaluated alternative routes but maintained there was no proof indicating the cycleway would present a heightened safety risk. A report from the council indicated a decrease in injury-causing collisions within the already finished segments of the cycleway. This cycleway forms part of the council’s strategy to increase low cycling rates and promote more environmentally friendly, active transportation options within Coventry. The council anticipates approximately 200 cyclists daily will utilize the Clifton Bridge Road portion of the route once its construction is complete. Construction on the concluding segment of the Binley Cycleway is scheduled to commence next year and conclude in 2026.