Horsenden Lane, Princes Risborough free of water logging thanks to drainage improvement programme

Matthew Clark | December 27, 2016

Flood-free Horsenden Lane: Local Member Bill Bendyshe-Brown, Residents Karen Williams, Clive Hawkins, Cabinet Member Mark Shaw.

Flooding problems in Horsenden Lane, Princes Risborough during winter are a thing of the past thanks to a county wide drainage improvement programme.

Buckinghamshire County Council is investing £720,000 across 26 schemes to rid Buckinghamshire’s drainage problem spots of regular water logging.

‘This one is right at the centre of a national walking and cycling route and regularly floods to a depth of six inches‘, says local County Councillor Bill Bendyshe-Brown. ‘It’s been a long-term winter problem,‘ said Bill. ‘It’s not just that it was inconvenient for visitors and residents, the regular flooding has damaged the road in places.‘

Horsenden Lane was included in the list of serious flooding problems after Transport for Buckinghamshire representatives met with residents, one of whom had reported to the County Council that her elderly mother ‘kept having to wade through water and silt every time she visited‘.

Flashback to early 2000s: A dinghy is the only way to navigate deep water in Horsenden Lane.

Bill, who has been liaising with residents, said: ‘The team investigating found tree roots had invaded drains and discovered blocked drains we didn’t know existed.‘

To counter the drainage problems parts of Horsenden Lane have been resurfaced, silt and debris excavated from ditches, drains unblocked and new drains installed.

Horsenden balancing pond: Resident Clive Hawkins, Local Member Bill Bendyshe-Brown, Cabinet Member Mark Shaw, Resident Karen Williams.

Neighbours are delighted. Resident Karen Williams said: ‘We’re all so pleased this problem has at last been looked at, and we’re thrilled the work has been done.‘

Buckinghamshire County Council Transport Cabinet Member Mark Shaw said: ‘This is a great example of the County Council working with residents at a local level to make life better. I’m very pleased we’ve been able to make these improvements before the ravages of the winter weather, and my warmest thanks go to the team for making it happen.

Our investment in this scheme will do a great deal to prolong the life of Horsenden Lane surface, as indeed it will at the other 25 locations.‘

Horsenden Lane and its footpaths form part of the Phoenix Trail (national route 57) are used annually by several thousand walkers and cyclists.

Of the 26 drainage schemes in this year’s programme, 17 have been completed, and the remaining nine will be started in the New Year 2017.

Drainage improvement schemes have been completed at :