Major route reopens earlier than planned

A major Warwickshire road that was closed for almost three weeks due to HS2 works has reopened earlier than planned.

The part of the A46 near Kenilworth shut since 11 April was due to reopen at 06:00 BST on Thursday, but Kenilworth Town Council announced it was reopening at midnight on Wednesday.

Two lanes have now opened on both affected sides of the carriageway with a 50mph speed limit in place.

The route had shut while a box structure was installed underneath it, with local residents and road users complaining of significant disruption.

The single-lane closure is set to remain in place between the Stivichall Interchange (Festival Island) and the Thickthorn Island, Kenilworth, until July.

One coffee shop owner told the BBC he had been forced to reduce his employees' hours due to the ongoing disruption, with the roadworks also causing delays for his commuting staff.

Ashley Davis, who runs the Morning Sunshine cafe in Kenilworth, said despite "forward planning" and staff leaving 90 minutes before their shift started, they had still been arriving late.

Chris Patting, who lives in Kenilworth, said the traffic had been "quite shocking" and it had been "difficult to get anywhere in the car".

Another resident, Mike Hull, said he had seen cars driving on the footpath and been avoiding going into town "at all costs" due to the diversion route.

"The HGVs are really struggling to get round the small streets. As a pedestrian, it's a bit of run to get into the park for safety," he said.

Highways Agency spokesperson Victoria Lazenby previously thanked residents for their patience and said she knew the people of Kenilworth and Stoneleigh would have "felt it the most".

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