A5: Poll shows respondents spend up to two hours in traffic

• Nearly a third of respondents (32%) believe they spend between one and two hours in traffic on the A5
• 75% think improvements would be important for businesses –36% believe upgrades would mean more staff hired by firms
• Over two thirds (70%) agree that A5 improvements are levelling up

Consumer research conducted by Midlands Connect of 500 people shows ‘massive’ support for improvements on the A5.

The survey, speaking to people in Hinckley, Nuneaton & Rugby showed that 31.74% of people believed they spent more than one hour, up to two hours in congestion. A further 31.94% spent 30 minutes up to an hour and 27.54% spent 30 minutes or less in traffic.

Overall, 81% of residents supported plans for upgrades around Hinckley to improve the A5 and 81% said it would be ‘important’ for residents in the area, with 37% saying it was ‘very important’ to them.

Many also appreciated the significance for the local economy, with 75% saying it would be important for business with nearly half (48%) saying it would, in their opinion, allow firms to grow and over a third (36%) believe road improvements on the A5 would mean businesses would hire more staff.

Finally, 82% of respondents thought the fumes from cars in traffic on the A5 was ‘impactful’ on local residents and the environment.

Midlands Connect recommends that improvements to the A5 between Hinckley and Tamworth are considered by the government for funding as part of its third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), which is for the period 2025-2030. This means that project delivery could begin as soon as 2025, less than three years from now.

In October, Midlands Connect held an A5 Corridor Conference in Hinckley, which showed a range of support for improvements to the corridor. Representatives from the local college, to manufacturers, to politicians all spoke about how upgrading the road could help their endeavours — showing just how important these plans are.

Commenting, Midlands Connect Swati Mittal Future of Roads Programme Lead said:

“These are striking results and show massive support for upgrades on the A5. The public feel improvements along the route would be good for residents, good for business and good for the environment.

“What stood out is how over a third of people think local businesses will hire more staff if we can deal with the logjams they face, nearly two hours according a third of people who responded. These improvements could be a win-win project for Leicestershire.”

Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Bosworth, said:

“A growing number of people from our community are losing valuable time because they’re stuck in avoidable delays and bottlenecks along the A5, which has become a straitjacket for growth and prosperity in the region.

“Already improved stretches of the A5, like Cannock Chase to Tamworth and the Eastern Section which passes Rugby, have seen economic and strategic benefits since the road has been dualled. Our area is at risk of falling behind if we’re overlooked in the next investment strategy.

“The support for these much-needed improvements is overwhelming and I’ll keep working alongside Midlands Connect to make this evident to the Government and National Highways.”

East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive, Scott Knowles said:

“Traffic congestion is not only an inconvenience for drivers, but it has a significant economic cost as delays to journeys stifle worker productivity and have a negative environmental impact via air pollution.  Improving transport infrastructure is an important aspect of ‘getting the basics right’, as we have made clear to Government in our newly-published Business Manifesto for Growth in the East Midlands and Beyond. 

“The East Midlands lags behind the rest of the country when it comes to public expenditure per head, yet we know our region provides a higher-than-average return on investment, so it makes good business sense on many levels. 

“As this study illustrates, road improvements can give businesses the capacity to grow and create jobs, which helps to boost our economy and ultimately puts more money back into the public purse.” 

Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

“The A5 is one of the busiest routes in Leicestershire and ensuring the network keeps moving is essential to residents, businesses and visitors in our county.  

“We remain committed to supporting Midlands Connect in their lobbying to Government and National Highways for improvements as the A5 remains one of our key strategic priorities. Investment will help deliver our future prosperity, cut congestion and improve air quality and logistics.” 

Cllr Phil King, Chair of the A5 partnership and Leader of Harborough District Council, added:

“These results show what we in the A5 Partnership have been saying for a number of years - That improvements to the A5 are vital to support businesses and growth along this key economic corridor in the Midlands, reduce congestion, and improve the environment for residents in the area. We welcome these findings which help support our call for the Government to prioritise investment in the A5. We will continue to work with our partners, with the aim of securing significant investment in the Government’s next Road Investment Strategy period 2025 to 2030.”