MORE traffic changes are being made to Warwick and Leamington town centres as lockdown measures are further lifted.
Adaptations are being made to road schemes which were introduced in mid June to make it safer for businesses to re-open.
The changes being made by Warwickshire County Council this weekend follow consultation with businesses in the two towns, together with Warwick District Council, Leamington BID and Warwick Town Council.
The changes to the Warwick scheme include:
* Re-opening Puckerings Lane, Brook Street and Market Street, round past the Bus Interchange to Bowling Green Street
* Reinstating all on-street parking along that length including access to disabled parking
* Reinstating the one-way system at the exit of the New Street Car Park
* Taxis are also being retained on Barrack Street and Cape Road
The changes in Leamington include:
* Opening up the Blue Badge parking opposite the Town Hall
* Installing a temporary bus stop at Beauchamp Road
* Installing a bench on The Parade outside Tesco
* Removing the traffic lane outside Aubrey Allen on Warwick Street to allow for safe queueing
County transport spokesman Jeff Clarke said: “We have been listening to all of our key partners in the towns and have taken comments on board around changes we could make to the plans that were initially agreed in the centres.
“When we installed the schemes it was to make the town centres safe for businesses to reopen on June 15. We had to act quickly, prioritising public safety while creating an environment in which businesses could reopen and the public could visit town centres with confidence.
“But this is a very fast-moving situation, with guidance changing rapidly, and our schemes would need the flexibility to adapt to that. We always said that once they had been installed, in line with government expectations, that we would then be open to listening and adapting. It appears, in both of these towns, that having agreed the changes with members of the local business community, work will be done quickly.
“I am pleased that we have been able to come to such a swift resolution to local businesses’ concerns and thank them for working with us.”
Visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/covid19roadlayouts for further information about the scheme.
