'Significant problems' have been identified in the safety around Glasshouse Lane by an independent consultant.

Kenilworth Town Council and Kenilworth Multi Academy Trust (KMAT) hired The Transportation Consultancy (ttc) to look into safety around Kenilworth School earlier this year, with a full report presented to councillors last week.

The town council has been pressing its county colleagues - who are responsible for the roads around the school - for improvements since it opened in September 2023.

Councillors have said young people are "put at risk by the current arrangements" as they arrive and leave the site, which was shown last year when a child was hit by a car in the area.

And discussing the findings of ttc's report last week, Cllr Zoe Leventhal said three main points had been identified.

"The first is that this independent consultant has identified 'significant problems' with what has happened at the school," she told last week's council meeting. 

"One of the basic issues is that although the road was previously a 50mph road and is now a 20mph road, very little has changed with the overall orientation of the drivers. 

"That gives rise to the second problem, in that real issues exist between the design of the active travel routes, on how people are told to get to the school, and the actual, logical, sensible way to do that. 

"Because of the problems with the 50mph/20mph changes, drivers still consider themselves to have priority and don't perceive themselves as having to slow down."

The third finding was that on average, 70 per cent at open and closing times are active travel users but the local area "does not work for them".

The report did make a number of recommendations for improving the safety around Kenilworth School, which the council will now discuss further with KMAT and Warwickshire County Council.

Any recommendations will need to be formally agreed with the county council before they move forward.

Speaking at last week's meeting, Cllr Andrew Milton said there is a "wider issue" about road planning.

"This is a road scheme that prioritises the need of cars, when actually over 70 per cent of people using that area are using active means," he said. 

"It just reinforces what I have thought for a little time, the way we do travel planning, at the county council at least, really isn't fit for purpose. 

"That really needs to change very quickly."

In a statement last year, headteacher at Kenilworth School Darren Nicholas reiterated the school's desire to work with the town council to address the issues.

"As headteacher of Kenilworth School & Sixth Form, ensuring the safety of our students and all road users is paramount," he said.

"We are committed to working closely with Kenilworth Town Council and ttc to continue to improve road safety around our school.

"Together, we aim to implement solutions that not only safeguard our community but also promote sustainable travel options'. It's expected that ttc's recommendations will be available later this spring.

"This will enable the town council and the school then to discuss the options with the county council to agree the best next steps."

See the full report here.