Published: Friday 20 December 2024
Junction upgrades on the Coventry Eastern Bypass could improve access to healthcare
Research by Midlands Connect has revealed a proposed highways upgrade at Walsgrave roundabout on the A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass could improve access to vital healthcare services in Coventry, helping to save lives, while driving cost savings for the NHS.
The A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass junctions, at Binley and Walsgrave, were proposed for upgrades by National Highways. While the A46 Binley junction improvement scheme was opened to traffic in November 2022, the Walsgrave junction has not yet received funding.
It sits adjacent to the University Hospital Coventry, a ‘super hospital’ with 1,250 beds, yet is subject to congestion and regular delays.
A recent report titled 'Coventry Eastern Bypass: Building a Road Network Fit for the NHS’ explores the impacts of this local congestion, while considering how upgrades to the Walsgrave junction may improve people’s access to vital healthcare services in Coventry.
Integrated Transport Programme Lead, Swati Mittal said: "It is essential that both phases of this project are
completed in full to reduce congestion levels and create a more reliable road network.
"Current levels of congestion are having a serious effect on communities and we can see that impact reflected in the experience of people using the hospital."
A survey showed 74% of respondents had missed, or been late to, hospital appointments at University Hospital Coventry because of congestion on local roads, driving significant costs to the NHS.
Over two-thirds of respondents to the survey outlined that reducing local congestion, by improving the Walsgrave junction, would improve their access to the hospital.
Further to this, over 60% of the respondents stated the junction upgrades would make them more likely to proactively seek out healthcare as an early stage, following the identification of a health concern. While, 41.7% of the respondents said the junction upgrades would make them more likely to access healthcare in general.
Encouraging more, and earlier, visits to the University Hospital Coventry, could support earlier diagnosis of illnesses, helping to save lives and reduce treatment costs.
Councillor Jim O'Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said:
“The results of this survey, undertaken by Midlands Connect, really put into perspective the importance of a strong highways network to a good healthcare system.
“The recent Binley junction upgrade has improved journey times, safety, and reliability. Now to properly free up capacity on the Coventry Eastern Bypass, we also require a similar investment in the Walsgrave junction, adjacent to the University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire.
“I strongly feel that investment in this junction would improve access to healthcare in Coventry, reducing missed appointments, and encouraging people to access healthcare at an earlier stage. This can not only save lives, but from an NHS perspective also helps to reduce costs.
“Our Government has outlined a commitment to building an NHS that is fit for the future, and I feel that in Coventry, this must include investment to ease the daily congestion on the Eastern Bypass.”