The meeting of the Portfolio Holder Decisions/Leader Decisions of Warwickshire Council on Friday 11 September 2026 was scheduled to discuss additions to the Capital Programme. This included proposals for enhancements to three bus stops across the county.

Additions to the Capital Programme

The meeting was scheduled to consider proposals for three bus stop enhancement schemes, all of which were to be funded by Section 106 developer contributions. These contributions are funds secured by the council from developers as part of planning agreements, often to mitigate the impact of new developments on local infrastructure.

The report pack indicated that the following three schemes were proposed for inclusion in the Capital Programme:

• Tamworth Road, Wood End: A scheme estimated to cost £19,000 to enhance the existing bus stop. This would involve the installation of a bus shelter, an extended hardstanding area, vegetation removal, and a contribution towards bus shelter maintenance. This scheme is linked to a planning application granted in February 2021 for development near Islington Farm.
• Bilton Road, Bilton: An estimated £12,000 scheme to improve the waiting environment at the bus stop opposite a new care retirement development. This would include the installation of a bus shelter and a contribution towards its maintenance. This relates to a planning application granted in November 2020 for the retirement development.
• Central Park Drive, Rugby: A proposal for a westbound bus stop, including a bus shelter, with an estimated cost of £25,000. This is linked to a planning application granted in April 2025 for a commercial unit off Central Park Drive.

The report pack stated that these works were necessary to fulfil obligations under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990¹. It was noted that if these schemes were not added to the Capital Programme and the works did not proceed, the council could face legal challenges and would need to repay the developer contributions already received. The report also indicated that the procurement of new bus shelters would be managed through the council's existing Bus Shelter Maintenance Contract.

The report pack also detailed financial implications, stating that the total estimated cost of £56,000 for these three schemes would be fully funded by the respective Section 106 developer contributions, which had already been received. It was noted that these additions would not affect the overall level of capital resources available to the council or involve any additional financial commitment from core budgets. In the event of budget overspend, alternative funding could be sought from the Local Authority Bus Grant for 2025-26 or 2026-27.

An Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) was included, which considered the potential impacts of these bus stop enhancements on various groups. The assessment suggested positive impacts for age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and individuals experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. The EIA highlighted that bus travel is a key form of transport for elderly people and that accessibility enhancements at bus stops would improve the waiting environment and ease boarding and alighting for residents with physical and visual impairments. It also noted a gap in passenger satisfaction between mobility-impaired and able-bodied passengers, as identified in the Warwickshire Your Bus Journey Survey 2025-26. The report indicated that engagement with relevant Warwickshire County Council Members would take place prior to the design stage of these works.