Kenilworth horse fair to disrupt motorists despite end of major roadworks

Thickthorn Farm Kenilworth,  where the Horse Fair takes place.Thickthorn Farm Kenilworth,  where the Horse Fair takes place.
Thickthorn Farm Kenilworth, where the Horse Fair takes place.
Kenilworth motorists have been advised that roads will be “exceptionally busy” on Sunday September 27 due to the forthcoming horse fair taking place in Kenilworth at the weekend.

Although major roadworks on Coventry Road that have lasted over two months are expected to be completed on Friday September 25, the disruption for drivers will continue because of the large numbers of people descending on Thickthorn Farm from Thursday September 24 to Sunday September 27, which is likely to be the busiest day.

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Peter Cutts, Safer Communities Manager at Warwick District Council said: “A Traffic Management Plan will be in place on Sunday, which will involve controlling traffic from the Thickthorn roundabout all the way down to the St Johns roundabout, which is what we’ve had in place for the last four horse fairs.

“Traditionally this event is quieter than April but busier than July.

“We anticipate that the sewerage works on the Coventry Road will be completed on Friday but residents should try and avoid the roads to and from Thickthorn if at all possible.”

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Although the forthcoming horse fair tends to attract more people than July’s, the disruption should not be as bad as it was back then as the previous horse fair coincided with the start of the sewer improvements.

Motorists and public transport users had been facing significant delays to journey times after a 250-metre stretch of Coventry Road was closed in order for Severn Trent Water to install new sewer pipes designed to prevent sewer flooding, which had caused serious problems for the area in the past.

Before the start of the improvement works, Severn Trent Water’s communications manager, Paul Evans, said: “We’ll be replacing existing sewer pipes with larger ones to help prevent local properties from suffering from sewer flooding.

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“The sewers in the area are no longer able to cope during heavy rainfall, and, in the past when we’ve had a lot of rain, sewage has backed up through pipes and flooded into homes and gardens.

“This is unacceptable and it’s our job to stop it which is why it’s so important to do this work.”

The plans were first mooted in January 2015, but were pushed back until July by Warwickshire County Council in order to avoid adding to disruption from major roadworks that were taking place along Gibbet Hill and up to the University of Warwick.

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The work on Coventry Road was then expected to start on July 13, but this was again pushed back for a further week because of other unfinished roadworks in Whitely.

When the work started, there was a lengthy diversion in place which ran along New Street, Bridge Street, Priory Road, Waverley Road, Warwick Road, St Johns, Leamington Road, Kenilworth Bypass and the Stonebridge Highway.

The main bulk of the roadworks has been completed as Severn Trent Water has now finished installing the new sewer pipes, and all that remains is for the council to resurface the road, if they have not already done so by Friday.

For further information on the roadworks contact Peter Cutts on 01926 456021 or email [email protected].