Roadworks cause misery for Warwick people

[dutchman]

Drivers have been ignoring a diversion to avoid a roadworks on a main road into Warwick - and are actually mounting the pavement to bypass the blockage.



Others have been making high-speed turns on the forecourt of a tyre service station in Emscote Road, or even turning the wrong way down Pickard Street next to the Homebase store.

The major route between Warwick and Leamington was closed last week and has been causing problems for motorists and residents alike.

Grandmother Patricia Suresh, who has lived in Basant Close for the past 17 years, said: “Last weekend was a nightmare with some motorists actually squeezing their cars along the pavement right outside our garden wall.

“Worse than that were the motorcyclists weaving off the road and along the pavement - some of the bikes had L-plates on and the riders were actually practising ‘wheelies’ outside our door. My children and grandchildren were so worried about being run over they made their own warning sign and the older ones fixed it to the Severn Trent barrier.”

The sign read: “This is not a roundabout.”

A few metres further down Emscote Road, Ray Port, the manager of the Protyre service garage, said: “On Monday and Tuesday last week people were driving like lunatics across our forecourt after coming up against the road closure.

“Things have calmed down since then although cars are still being turned round here despite all the notices saying the road ahead is closed.

“On one day last week my assistant manager counted at least 60 cars turning on the forecourt at too high a speed for safety because drivers were angry. We also saw others taking their vehicles along the narrow pavement past Basant Close - others ignored the No Entry sign on the other side of the road and just turned the wrong way down Pickard Street.”

Severn Trent is spending nearly £1 million on replacing the main sewer running along Emscote Road and into St Nicholas Park. The work started on August 13 and won’t be finished until early November.

Naresh Suresh, aged 14, painted the home-made sign for outside Besant Close because he was worried about younger nephews and nieces getting hurt by the motorbikes and cars.

He said: “There’s children in most houses in this close and it’s not safe at the moment. I put the sign up but then somebody took it down again.”

Mrs Suresh, aged 52, who is on sick leave from work in a pharmacy because of a heart condition, said: “My husband and I have been so worried about the way motorists have reacted to these roadworks. The pavement has now been blocked by the workmen but that hasn’t stopped motorbikes coming past on what should only be a path for pedestrians.”