JH. from Coventry

feasible - I think that anything that brightens up the city centre cant be bad. We want to encourage more people locals and visitors, lets make it more attractive.

JD. from Mold

feasible - It's an excellent idea, the Ring Road is a masterpiece of function over aesthetics. But please let some real people decide what images to use not a Council committee.

CW. from Coventry

feasible - I think it's a fabulous idea! Colourful paint would brighten the ring road structure up & lighter colours would help parts that don't get much natural light look good too. I really hope the council have the sense to back this idea.

Phyllis Hyde from Coventry

feasible - I would love to see more blues and greens, instead of greys. The right kind of silvery grey can set off planting (e.g. ivy cascades) very effectively but that isn't the grey we've got and lavendar could do the job just as well. Colour-coding sections of the Ring Road could help orientation as well as improve the City Centre aesthetically.

Little Rach from Coventry
feasible - Once you paint something it has to be maintained and knowing Cov City council, we'd be left with peeling paint after a few years. As for advertising, I think we see enough of that already. Why not have some decent graffiti or artwork instead ?
Although to be honest, I'd rather see more trees planted around the ringroad instead.

Claire Hewitt from Stockport
feasible - As a regular visitor to Coventry I think this is a brilliant idea!

Gareth Wright - Coventry
feasible - I think it is a great idea. The ring road is far to dull for something that is in constant use and seen by thousands of people per day. It is literally a centre piece of the city and deserves to be looked after. I would suggest a colour that isn't too light as it will get dirty and stained by weather too quickly, but it does need to be noticable so also not too dark. Blue maybe? This would tie in with the lighting at Millenium point with the arches and time zones display? Hope this helps!

DJ
feasible - Every new visitor to Coventry see the ringroad around the city centre and not only are bamboozled by navigating it they just see pure ugliness. Coventry is seen as a concrete jungle, grey and miserable. I'm sure if it were to be painted it would certainly cheer the city folk up and make the centre a more appealing visit.

HJ - Leamington
feasible - Has to be worth looking at, being of apparently minimal investment, but with great benefit, in terms of brightening an otherwise dreary landscape.

Kelly van der Heever - Coventry
feasible - I love the idea, I have often thought how ugly and dreary coventry looks with all the 1970's style concrete everywhere. The city has made a big effort to look good year on year, with us winning the city in bloom and new eateries with outdoor seating. Coventry is starting to look more cosmopolitan. But it is hard to escape the vast quantities of concrete everywhere which is just an eyesore. I would also love to see more school or local artist style murals on the concrete pillars that hold the ring road up. For people who walk everywhere, these areas look dark and dingy and leave an impression of a dodgy drug and gang warfare infused environment of the likes seen in the movies.

RG idea from Macclesfield
madness - My advice take the 1943 approach: Blow the f****r up and start again from scratch.

Claire Grinham from Coventry

feasible - I think its a brilliant idea! Wouldnt it be great to not stare at that horrible dull concrete anymore! Surfaces could be used to promote the heritage of Coventry - mini murals even?

Neil Symons from Coventry

feasible - I think it is an excellent idea. Coventry has always been regarded as a concrete jungle but now, with the new impressive buildings in the city centre going up, the future is alot brighter and the ring road should reflect that.

Jo Goodwin from Coventry

feasible - Painting each junction with a different colour or design could help those who aren't used to the Ring Road, to recognise where they join or leave the Ring Road e.g. "Join at the green junction and then come off at the purple one."

Daniel Beckett

feasible - I think it's a great idea. I use the ring road everyday and always get a cold, communist Berlin feel, from the cold grey expression-less concrete. I don’t know how feasible it is with regards to budgets etc. But as it is a circular, an on-running theme starting from and finishing at fosill Rd roundabout would be a cool idea. If the colours of the spectrum ran all of the way round it would liven it all up a bit.

NJN

feasible - This is a fantastic idea! Unfortunately, I live and work within 400 metres of the ring road and I'm well aware of what an eye-sore it is. Please note my use of the word "unfortunately". This would change with a simple coat of paint to the ring road, I'm sure.
Think of the thousands spent on the millenium bridge, garden of international friendship, the redevelopment on trinity street... all spoiled by the drab and dirty ring road.
My friends from outside the area sarcasticly refer to my home town as 'sunny Coventry' and regularly liken it to the British weather... dull and grey. 'Coventry in Bloom' was a great idea but it would take all the tulips in Amsterdam to disguise our concrete curse.
Please - give it a lick of paint! It's a great idea!

Julian Nunn from Nantwich

feasible - When i first left Brighton in 1995, my chosen University was Coventry as they had the world famous Transport Design course there. When I arrived i couldnt believe what a mess Coventry was. And in my opinion any paint in any part of Coventry is a good idea........just make it a good colour...

CC from Coventry

Good idea, feasible - Yes paint it to cheer it up. The ring road works, traffic today moves better than it did before the ring road was built despite a huge increase in trafic. It must be kept & if painting it makes it more acceptable great. To close any of it & impede traffic will be a disaster. Are there any other buildings you could brighten up?

Steve Green from Warwickshire

feasible - I have a tin of paint left over from decorating the bathroom. Its yours if you think it might help!
Great idea, I couldn't establish from this web page whether you intend to carry out this scheme or whether you are simply bored and nosey!!
I think advertising is a better idea overall, not so much the painting suggestion. I'm sure that the council would pay a management company to organise the scheme, assuming you could propose a feasible means of attaching the adverts without affecting the intergity of the structure as they have just spent a lot of money repairing these faces. I know a fella that works for the construction company (Jacobs Babtie) who are the current framework partner for all of the council's civils work who could probably advise on this matter if necessary!

Anna Reid from Oxford

feasible - I''ve never been to coventry but might be more inclined to - how about baby pink?!

GL from West Midlands

Good idea, feasible - Anything that's drab and grey should always be brightened up. Bring some colour to the roads, it will raise the spirits of the people too!

Ed from London

madness - I see a grey bridge and I want to paint it black... Dude - paint it all gloss black!

Daniel James Whitford from Coventry

feasible - I think this is fantastic forward thinking idea that would give Coventry ring road the face lift it so desperately needs.
Please Please PLEASE convert this innovative idea into a ground breaking project that the whole city would benefit from!
Having lived in Coventry all my life and being someone who is PROUD of where I live, this project gets my backing, 110%.
Give me a brush... I'm in!

Suzanne Higham from Coventry

feasible - I think its a great idea. It wouldn't cost too much and if as the proposal states the paint used could be self cleaning, it would really cheer up those gloomy concrete surfaces, brighten up the city and create a better first impression for visitors.

Howard Richards from Rugby

madness - Just because it is feasible in the sense it is possible to paint it doesn't measn it should be done. The idea of a road is to safely and effeciently conduct traffic, which the ring road does. I worked in Coventry ( as a Police Officer ) for many years and know the area well. There are too many distractions, excessive road signs etc in many roads already, the ring road, only approx. 2.5 miles in circumference is so far fairly clutter and distraction free, it needs to be kept that way so people can concentrate on their correct lane disciple, ( too many think the offside lanes are for overtaking as opposed to designated destination routes,) to concentrate on the gantry markings and the short intersection opportunities. Above all please no distracting advertising or sponsors logos for they must be a distraction to achieve their stated purpose as advertisements. The road surface in many places is a regular disgrace, do not add potential paint surface maintainence. If you want a bit of colour then have plant / flower tubs perhaps near some of the traffic lights and other spots. If you've got money to spare & spend they try some continuity of pedestrian pavement areas, Coventry City centre looks as if too many areas were created as a patchwoprk quilt with end of run job lots sufficient only for the immediate job in hand. Contrast with Birmingham and their more uniform look from the New Street Station up into the centre.

Mart

Brilliant idea 2 paint Coventry...towr blcks and ring road. U hav my full support and backing! Go 4 it!

John Shepherd from Coventry

feasible - I think that doing something to brighten up Coventry is a fantastic idea. Well done shine for looking at what we see everyday and reminding us that we could be living in a brighter Coventry. Unfortunately I think the initial idea of using paint may not be the best idea. Once painted the concrete may look worse as it dulls with emissions from cars and weathering.
I would like to see the space used to promote local arts, clubs, schools and colleges. If banners or sections could be designed by these groups then displayed on the sections of the ring road visible to pedestrians this would be of huge benefit to the Coventry community. This idea would let us find out more about what is happening in Coventry.

Ginger from Coventry

feasible - On travels abroad, particulaly the Far East, I\'ve noticed how the imposing and unattractive concrete has been covered with a mass of wildlife. Even fast growing ivy would improve the overall look. Go for green in our City Centres. Painting it would be a good start, but ultimately, all you'd need would be a less sympathetic council in the future and the whole thing would start to look dreary and ill-maintained.
I love that the debate is being held though. Coventry is so unattractive and something simple could make the difference to those of us who are dragged here to live by love or money!

Jo from Coventry

feasible - I love this idea. Painting it, covering it with artwork and waking the whole thing up. Everyone coming into the city centre sees it, drives on it, walks under it or crosses over the top. Using it creatively to communicate what an artistic and spirited place Coventry can be would be a great message to everyone. Choosing the right colours and maintaining it to keep it looking fresh would be really important. Also like the idea of commissioning artists and community groups to produce work and using light more creatively. Well done Shine, fantastic idea..

Heidi Gibson from Coventry

feasible - I have to drive on the ring road every day, and feel the paint would enhance the design feature of the unique ring road (of which Coventry is renound) giving it a lick of paint will make a statement and will reflect well with the frank whittle arch, seen just from the foleshill exit.
There are some junctions where there are multiple slip roads on and off the ringroad, instead of looking at the blank concrete, the paint would add dimentions that would bring the arching roads to life.
YES PLEASE!

Mark Davies from Coventry

feasible - i like the way they are doing this but i would like to ask just one question, my question is as working at John lewis cause i failed all my GCSE's cause i didnt listen i would like to ask could you put a picture of a dog there as this would mean every thing to me.

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce

After consulting a selection of members from our Coventry Branch, we have made the following observations:

• The concept of painting the concrete areas of the ring road is a good idea, as long as it did not turn into a multi coloured fairground. A member of the Coventry Image group stated that it would be a good idea if it was painted in one clean colour.
• Part of the plan must include how you maintain it and keep it bright and clean in the face of the fumes and pollution that the ring road inevitably generates.
• The ring road is a fundamental part of Coventry’s transport infrastructure, can we be sure that no disruption to commuters can take place during the initial painting and upkeep of the project.
• Any plan that could make Coventry City Centre brighter and more attractive has to be embraced.
• We feel that if the project was achievable and sustainable we would support the concept.
• The concept does require a more detailed discussion with the City Council; we would be interested in discussing the concept with you once the main details are put in place and you have received feedback from the Council.

Lewis, IKEA Press Office

I am afraid I have not had a response from the project manager, the new store manager nor the Marketing manager. I am very sorry about this, and for now I am afraid you will have to presume that IKEA are not able to support.

Nirmal Jhumat, IKEA PR Manager

Thank you for your correspondence detailing your ideas for promoting
Coventry.

You obviously have some very creative and unusual ideas, which no doubt
would be quite newsworthy. Unfortunately IKEA Coventry would be unable to
endorse or support your project because IKEA have very clear guidelines
on advertising and promotional events.