A public inquiry is set to be held in Warwick this month over plans to build a major new cycle track to the town centre.

Warwickshire County Council has been working on designs for the 1.15km link from the Spinney Hill roundabout - where it will connect to the National Cycle Network Route 52 to Kenilworth - and the St John's junction on the edge of Warwick town centre, since 2018.

And while much of the works are signed off, on January 11 an independent inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport will consider some unsettled aspects of the plans.

The inspector will hear the case for and against turning footpaths into cycle routes on A429 Coventry Road, Townsend Close, Phillippes Road and Huddison Close, after objections were sent to the Secretary of State.

Current designs would see the tracks go behind houses on Phillippes Road and Townesend Close - to the annoyance of local residents.

The county council says the scheme needs to go ahead for the wider public benefit.

Some of the controversial elements of the cycleway route (image via WCC)

"The A429 Coventry Road cycling scheme (the Scheme) in Warwick is a 1.15km cycle route focussed on providing a safe and direct cycling route between the Spinney Hill roundabout on the outskirts of north Warwick and the St Johns junction which functions as a gateway into Warwick town centre," a council statement said. 

"The proposed Scheme will complete a key missing link in the local cycling network, enabling more people to make more journeys by sustainable forms of transport. 

"The route will connect to National Cycle Network route 52 to the north, facilitating cycling journeys from nearby Leek Wootton and Kenilworth areas and providing new cycling infrastructure to access Warwick rail station and Warwick Hospital."

In October 2022 the council approved funding for the scheme, and a public consultation was then launched in November, which led to just 19 responses.

The council said the scheme to build the 1.15km cycleway is expected to cost £715,000. It said the design could be scaled back if costs increase too much.

Other parts of the route will see zebra crossings painted on Guys Cross Park Road, pedestrian-priority crossings on a number of roads, a toucan crossing outside the Railway Inn and the removal of the right hand turn from Guys Cross Park Road.

The inquiry will be held at 10am on 11 January 2024 and will be held in Warwickshire County Council, Committee Room 2, Shire Hall, Warwick.

See the full details here.

The proposed track alongside 30 Hayle Avenue (image via WCC)