Plans announced to put footpath through former Library Gardens in High Wycombe as part of road widening scheme

The former Library Gardens in High Wycombe. (Archive picture)

Buckinghamshire County Council have unveiled plans to put a footpath through the former Library Gardens in High Wycombe to allow the widening of Queen Victoria Road.

Under the plans, Queen Victoria Road and Easton Street would become two-way to improve traffic flow, create more capacity for vehicles and take pressure off the Abbey Way gyratory.

The junctions of the High Street crossroads and the Easton Street exit on to London Road would be remodelled to allow two-way traffic and traffic lights would be synchronised with signals further up Crendon Street.

A proposed new footpath through the former library garden, on the corner of the High Street, would allow Queen Victoria Road to be widened to enable safe traffic flow in both directions.

The £3.7 million scheme is part of the £14.5m town centre Masterplan which aims to make the centre of High Wycombe safer and more attractive for shoppers, visitors and businesses.

The scheme would include wider and smoother pavements, two crossing points, a bus stop layby outside the Baptist Church in Easton Street, and retention of kerbside parking.

Mark Shaw County Council Deputy Leader and Transport Cabinet Member said plans were at an early stage and options for the two junctions were still being modelled. The final choice, he said, would be based on further calculations of anticipated traffic movements and on public feedback.

A full public consultation is planned during November 2017 with a drop-in exhibition at which residents and businesses can see plans and talk to County Council engineers.

Mark Shaw said: ‘We want this scheme to improve the look of the area to encourage visitors, shoppers and businesses, as well as making it safer and better for motorists and pedestrians who use the roads through the busy town centre, so it’s important to me that we take careful note of feedback from our residents and businesses.‘

David Johncock, Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability, Wycombe District Council, said: ‘We have ambitious plans for High Wycombe Town Centre which will not only improve the way the town looks but make it easier for people to get around from one part of town to another.

We’ve already completed two segments of the alternative route and have begun Phase Four along Queen Alexandra Road. We now need to look to future phases of the Plan and are starting to have conversations with key local groups about the next pieces in that jigsaw involving Queen Victoria Road, Easton Street and initial ideas for Cressex Business Park.

This continuing transformation of the town will bring forward much needed improvements in infrastructure and I look forward to seeing its completion and even more vitality in the town centre.‘

The High Wycombe Town Centre Masterplan is jointly funded by Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership, Wycombe District Council and Buckinghamshire County Council.