Campaigners lose High Court fight against cycleway

Campaigners in Coventry have lost a High Court bid to prevent a new cycleway being built, including the felling of 26 trees.

A decision to complete the 6km (3.7-mile) Binley Cycleway was made by the council in December.

The £12m project will connect the city centre with University Hospital Coventry and most of it has already been built.

One part of the route – on Clifford Bridge Road – has faced years of delays, following stiff opposition from residents.

"It is plain the scheme has been the subject of discussion over both an extended period of time and with some intensity," High Court deputy judge Richard Kimblin said.

He added that the council had taken steps to minimise the impact of the cycleway by narrowing and realigning it, where possible.

Objectors had tried to claim there were errors made during the council's decision-making process which made plans for the scheme unlawful.

Five legal arguments were submitted on behalf of those opposed to it, all of which were rejected by the court.

Those against the scheme tried to argue there were failings during the consultation phase, as well as insufficient information provided to council decision-makers when they were weighing up the scheme.

"In my judgement, the decision taken is one which was plainly open to the decision-makers to make, and was plainly one which took account of all the material considerations – including, and expressly, the decision to remove the trees," Mr Kimblin said.

"The overarching decision is not one which can be reasonably said to be irrational."

The council arranged a series of public meetings, drop-in sessions, newsletters, dedicated phone lines and online surveys through which residents could express their views on the plans.

The judge added: "I have no doubt at all that the decision-makers were fully aware of the amenity value of the trees being familiar – as they will have been – with their local area and the long period of consultation and controversy which this scheme attracted."

He said no material considerations had been omitted during the process, and that assessments of the trees' health had been made by appropriate experts.

While he agreed that some of the council's legal costs would be borne by those who had brought the legal challenge against the council, these would only cover "acknowledgement of service" fees and not the "costs of today".

The cycleway is part of the council's plan to boost low levels of cycling, and encourage greener, more active travel choices in Coventry.

The authority expects about 200 cyclists per day to use the Clifton Bridge Road section of the route once it has been built.

Work on the final section of the Binley Cycleway is due to begin this year and be completed in 2026.

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