Warwickshire politicians talk transport ahead of local council elections
THE local elections in May 2025 will see all 57 seats in Warwickshire up for grabs. The Conservatives currently control the council, with a majority they have held since 2017.
Ahead of election day on Thursday 1 May, the Herald will run a series asking representatives from the main parties on what they would do to address some of the issues most important to readers.
In this first edition, we asked them what each of their parties would do to improve issues relating to both road and rail. Points picked up by the representatives include potholes, park and ride schemes and active travel.
Conservatives
Cllr Isobel Seccombe, leader of Warwickshire County Council, said that keeping roads safe and open is a high priority.
She told the Herald: “Conservatives continue to invest and successfully access grants for our highways. Pleasingly we have again performed very well this year and have recently been announced as the second-best road quality in the country. It is important to maintain as high a spend and standard as possible. We have not reduced investment in the last 12 years.
“Keeping roads safe and open is a high priority for the economy and welfare of residents. We continue to have one of the highest percentages of roads gritted during winter conditions.”
“It is important that new developments trigger the required improvements they will need. Conservatives will ensure that these are funded and those who will benefit should also contribute. However, as our roads get busier this means investment is needed on major pinch points to ensure traffic flows freely.
“WCC has been very successful in building bids and winning funds, but always we need more. We invested in many more cycleways to encourage active travel. There has been an increase in the last 15 years in the number of railway stations due to the work we do with partners, and we have great plans to further these opportunities.”
Green Party
Cllr Dave Passingham is the Green Party leader on Stratford District Council. He told the Herald that the party will push for better public transport and increased subsidies on bus and rail travel.
He said: “Road transport accounts for around over half of the Stratford District’s carbon emissions, so it’s vital to make it easier to opt for greener choices. Rural public transport provision continues to decline, often leaving those on low incomes with no affordable options.
“Green Councillors recognise that Stratford District is a rural community and will champion better, cheaper public transport, so that every community is connected and can thrive. We will push for increased subsidies for rail and bus travel with free bus travel for under-18s.
“The creation of new cycleways and footpaths. Reinstatement of the Stratford to Honeybourne rail link so as to enable better train (or tram-train) links to Leamington, Birmingham, Worcester, Oxford and London as well as serving the new Long Marston village. Give local authorities control over and funding for improved and integrated bus services.
“Elected Greens will push for reimagining how we use streets in residential areas to reduce traffic and open them up for community use and adopting Active Travel England’s objective of 50 per cent of trips to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030.
“Aviation is the fastest-growing source of CO2 emissions. The District Council is at present supporting the development of Wellesbourne Airfield as a private airfield. This will indirectly support the formation of an extremely carbon intensive travel network for the super-rich. Greens would campaign for support for the airfield to be withdrawn.”
Labour Party
Leader of the Labour group in Warwickshire County Council Sarah Feeney said that potholes would be a key focus for her party.
She said: “I don't think it’s an exaggeration to say our roads and pavements are in a bit of a mess. It is something that residents raise with me time and time again. The broken roads are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds of pounds.
“According to the RAC pothole damage to cars costs an average of £600 to fix - entirely avoidable costs. We have all seen the photographs of politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us.
“The Labour government is investing £25.4 million right here in Warwickshire to tackle the state of our roads and pavements. This is welcome news and a much needed boost. But how will residents know how this money is being spent? Well for the first time ever, every council will have to publish how many potholes they have filled or lose the cash.
“Almost 30 per cent of roads in Warwickshire have been left in disrepair by the Conservative County Council. There can be no more excuses - the Labour Government has provided the investment, now it’s the job of the county council to act. Labour will make sorting the potholes and road safety a top priority.”
Liberal Democrats
Cllr George Cowcher, chairman of the Stratford Liberal Democrats' election campaign committee, told the Herald about a need to focus on rail travel to London as well as the ongoing planned development of Birmingham Road in the town.
He said: “Be it potholes and lack of maintenance, investment in cycle ways and pavements, dangerous and congested roads, poor bus services or non-existent trains, transport is frequently mentioned as a key issue for voters on the doorstep. Liberal Democrats believe that the service that could be provided in respect of transport by Warwickshire County Council has to be improved.
“Key areas for attention are to cut bureaucracy and spend more on delivery, lobby effectively the Government for essential transport improvements such as a western by-pass for Stratford and take an interest in train travel to get more investment in stations and services. Why are we still without a direct train service from Stratford to London? Give active travel a much higher priority, actually delivering new cycle and pedestrian ways not talking about them. Use the money provided by developers to actually do highway improvements.
“The proposed pedestrianisation and improvement of Stratford town centre is a classic example of local ambition being thwarted by bureaucracy and procrastination. Other examples are the Birmingham Road saga, the condition of the Greenway, unadopted roads on new estates meaning big problems for the future, the list of issues are endless. Liberal Democrats, criticised as the party that ‘mends the church roof’ will get things done!”
Reform UK
James Crocker, interim chair of Reform UK in Stratford and candidate for Bidford and Welford, told the Herald that his party would push for a park & ride hub closer to the M40 junction.
He said: “Local residents would be forgiven for thinking that the transport problems across our region come down to money, or lack of it. However, at Reform UK, we have uncovered a series of issues that stem from poor planning and hugely unjust policy decisions. It is our job to reverse them.
“Did you know that Councillors across Warwickshire as well as council staff receive free parking passes? This, we can afford it seems. Meanwhile residents are forced to pay ever increasing car parking charges to go to work and to visit local towns.
“Their car parking fees are literally subsidising free car parking for council workers. In contrast, insufficient public funds mean that a subsidised bus pass is out of the question for children attending sixth form and colleges across Warwickshire. Indeed, getting access to subsidised school transport is a postcode and year of birth lottery.
“Park and ride schemes have often been built too close to the towns they need to serve. They have been built without crucial bus lanes. At Reform UK we would push for a hub close to the M40 junction that would serve multiple destinations. Transport policy in Warwickshire requires a fresh approach. The status quo is not working and only Reform UK can deliver the change we all desperately need.”
