A pair of teenage campaigners have urged local residents to put pressure on the county council to deliver safe cycling routes to the new Kenilworth School.

The Glasshouse Lane school is set to open next September, but Isadora McAinsh, 14, and George Bell, 15, are continuing their efforts to make sure cycle routes will be in place from day one.

The pair launched the 'Pedal to Protect' petition last December before presenting it with 2,000 signatures to leader of Warwickshire County Council Cllr Izzi Seccombe and MP for Kenilworth and Southam Sir Jeremy Wright in February.

And with less than 270 days to go until the new school opens, Isadora and George were at the Christmas market on Saturday to update locals on the progress of their campaign.

"This will affect everyone: children, residents, local businesses and drivers," they said.

"The community recognise that children need to cycle safely in Kenilworth and drivers do not want to reach potential gridlock as significantly more housing is built.

"The town council have been supportive of our urgent campaign, however, to get spades in the ground WCC need to enable us to do this and prioritise child safety.

"There is no point having over 500 cycle racks at the new school or the county council declaring a climate emergency if they do not act immediately to provide safe cycleways."

George and Isadora present their petition to Cllr Izzi Seccombe

The pair have been invited to regular meetings with councillors but said there is "always an excuse" for why more cycling routes cannot be delivered quickly.

Last week Nub News reported that town councillors had called for a few major roads to be prioritised before the school opens, and that the work to convert Clarke's Avenue footbridge had been delayed until March.

"Kenilworth is being left behind, other towns have prioritised their school children cycling safely to school why are the WCC not doing the same?" George and Isadora added.

"We urge people to send a quick email to the Leader of Warwickshire County Council, Cllr Isobel Seccombe ([email protected]) and the portfolio holder for transport and planning Cllr Wallace Redford ([email protected]) and urge them to act quickly.

"We are completely non-political but please remember these councillors and if they deliver quickly on this provision for children next time you vote."

When she accepted the petition in February Cllr Seccombe said she fully supported what the teenage campaigners were trying to achieve.

"It is the young people presenting this, and that really means a lot to me," she told Nub News.

"We have got a new school coming into Kenilworth so absolutely it is the chance to get everything right now.

"What they are talking about is 'how do you safely mix children, bicycles and traffic' - this is such an important initiative and one that needs to be taken seriously."