Parade will be next to close in sewer saga, but shops will stay open

But town centre bosses said businesses will be open as usual and have appealed for people to still visit and shop.

And water company Severn Trent has promised that work on the Parade will be finished in time for the Remembrance Sunday parade in November.

Traffic diversion off the Parade is scheduled to start on Monday August 15 and will see southbound traffic diverted left at the town hall into Regent Grove, Brandon Parade, Willes Road and back into the town centre via Newbold Terrace.

Northbound traffic will continue through the Parade as usual until pipe replacement work is finished in Dormer Place and then traffic will be diverted onto it.

To tie in with the diversion, on Monday August 29 the lower section of the Parade is scheduled to close completely between Dormer Place and Regent Grove and will be re-opened in time for November 13.

Town centre manager Pam Dunsdon said: “Leamington businesses are open as usual throughout these works.

“Pedestrian access to shops and businesses has been maintained, so we would encourage people to support their local businesses by continuing to shop in the town centre.”

Senior programme engineer Christopher Keys, of Severn Trent, said: “The renewal scheme is one of the most extensive and complex sewerage flooding solutions to be undertaken by Severn Trent and its contractor NMCNomenca.

“We have tried to keep disruption to a minimum throughout the duration of the work and will continue to do so when the team begins work on the Parade.

“In 2007 a number of properties had flooding up to a metre deep, which caused damage and emotional distress to residents.

“Sewer flooding is unpleasant and disruptive and the level of investment in this work shows Severn Trent Water’s commitment to minimise the risk of further incidents in Leamington.”

Work began last October and will continue in Regent Grove, Clarendon Street and side roads until Spring 2012.

Following the works to restore the Victorian sewerage system the project will reduce the risk of sewer flooding in the town and improve the water quality of the River Leam, said Severn Trent.