Councillor Stephen Shaw, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, approved the addition of £3.3 million from the HS2 Road Safety Fund to the Capital Programme. This funding will be allocated to specific road safety schemes, including improvements to the A446 Birmingham Road, Coleshill Junction, lighting along the Fosse Way, and small-scale capital projects. The decision ensures that Warwickshire County Council meets the deadline set by HS2 for allocating the funds.

HS2 Road Safety Fund

Councillor Stephen Shaw approved the allocation of the final £3.3 million from the HS2 Road Safety Fund to Warwickshire County Council's Capital Programme. The funding is earmarked for the following projects:

• A446 Birmingham Road, Coleshill Junction scheme (£2.5m): This project aims to reduce accidents, increase capacity, and improve pedestrian and cycle connectivity at the A446 Stonebridge Road/Birmingham Road junction. The plans include staggered toucan crossings¹ to improve access to employment, leisure, and religious centres, as well as improvements to the footway for a more sustainable connection to Coleshill.
• Fosse Way lighting scheme (£0.5m): This allocation will allow for the retention of temporary lighting installed by HS2 along the Fosse Way. The permanent lighting aims to improve road safety beyond the HS2 construction phase.
• Small scale capital schemes (£0.3m): This funding will be used for a final round of investigations into small-scale capital schemes along the HS2 track in Warwickshire. Council officers will collaborate with elected members to identify suitable projects that can be delivered before the December 2026 deadline. Any unspent funds will be reallocated to the A446 Birmingham Road, Coleshill Junction scheme.

The HS2 Road Safety Fund is provided by the Department for Transport (DfT) and administered by HS2 Limited to support road safety improvements in areas affected by the HS2 route². According to the Public Reports Pack, the fund aims to leave a legacy of road safety improvements. To date, £4.745 million has been committed to 37 schemes and programmes across the county. The council must allocate the remaining £3.3 million by the end of 2026 to comply with HS2's requirements.

Garry Palmer, Head of Strategic Planning and Regeneration, assured the Portfolio Holder that the design would be subject to ongoing review and that officers are committed to engaging with relevant portfolio holders as the project evolves. However, he also noted that the council must comply with the conditions set by the HS2 fund, as Warwickshire County Council does not have full autonomy over the project.

According to the Public Reports Pack, the allocation of HS2 Road Safety Funding to the A446 Birmingham Road, Coleshill Junction scheme represents a funding swap, as the scheme is already part of Warwickshire County Council's capital programme funded by CIF³. This swap provides a commensurate benefit to the council in terms of capital expenditure.