Leamington Transformation Board, the group facilitating plans to transform Parade in Leamington into a potentially traffic-free space, has praised the huge number of responses to its engagement exercise on the scheme.

The Board, comprising representatives from Warwickshire County Council, Warwick District Council, and Royal Leamington Spa Town Council, launched an eight-week engagement exercise on the emerging Parade Masterplan, which concluded on Monday 28 July.

More than 3,100 responses were received in that time from residents, businesses, and other organisations - far more than is typically expected for an engagement exercise of this kind.

The responses will now be analysed over the next few months before final designs are presented to the public.

Mark Lee, Independent Chair of the Leamington Transformation Board, felt the responses were a sign that the town's residents and businesses are genuinely invested in its future.

He said: "It is fantastic to see such an incredible number of responses to the engagement exercise on the plans for Parade.

"We didn't doubt that the plans would generate interest, but to have more than 3,100 individual replies really is amazing.

"It is important to assess the responses carefully and use them to inform the designs for Parade over the next few months.

"I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to the plans. It means we can develop a final design that will benefit those who live, work in, and visit Leamington."

The initial plans displayed to the public during the engagement exercise included options to remove vehicular traffic from Parade, with permanent exceptions for emergency vehicles and temporary exceptions for delivery drivers.

It also explored re-routing buses that currently stop at the top of Parade to alternative locations, as well as the opening of a new town square by the Town Hall for events.

The redesign of Parade also prioritised accessibility and featured a wide mix of seating, trees, planting, and cycle infrastructure.

Further information on the Leamington Transformation programme is available here.