Parade is back open for business

Geoff Hancock, contracts manager for NMC Nomenca, said: “We are on target to finish work on the Parade by the end of shift on Thursday night.

“Next week we will be moving on to complete the first phase of the work back in Regent Grove.”

There were concerns that road barriers would not be cleared in time for the annual Remembrance Day service on Sunday when hundreds of people are expected to set out from Regent Street at 10.40am and make their way to the War Memorial in Euston Place.

Warwick and Leamington MP Chris White and town mayor Cllr Alan Wilkinson, will be among those observing the two minute silence at 11am.

Mr Hancock said the only job remaining on the Parade would be to replant some of the flower beds which would be left until after Christmas.

Major traffic rerouting problems have been inevitable in the town since the work, 40 feet below ground, first began on May 9.

The only major hitch was in Victoria Park where a tunneling machine broke down although even this didn’t prevent more than 50 NMC workers remaining on target.

Inevitably shopkeepers have been hit by falling sales due to the disruption. But most accept that the Victorian sewers were no longer up to the job.

When the River Leam flooded in 2007 raw sewage from the town did merge with the river water.

It has not been finally agreed where the work will continue next year but it is likely to be south of the town.