Public consultation opens on town centre roads scheme in High Wycombe

Queen Victoria Road junction, showing the old library garden.

Plans for the next phase of the ‘Masterplan’ road scheme in High Wycombe town centre are to go on public display on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th November 2017.

The proposals include converting the one-way Queen Victoria Road and Easton Street to take traffic in both directions.

The public are invited to attend a drop-in exhibition in a Buckinghamshire County Council marquee in the High Street, near the Guildhall, in High Wycombe from 10.00am to 3.00pm.

On Wednesday 22nd November 2017 a public consultation was launched to seek views from residents and businesses on the two-way proposals, which include remodelling two junctions at the High Street crossroads and the Easton Street exit on to London Road as well as synchronising all traffic lights with signals further up Crendon Street.

The public consultation can be viewed at www.buckscc.gov.uk/qvr.

The proposals also include driving a new footpath through the former library gardens on the corner of the High Street to 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 pavement improvements, two informal crossing points, a bus stop lay-by outside the Baptist Church and retention of kerbside parking in Easton Street.

Mark Shaw County Council Deputy Leader and Transport Cabinet Member said County and District Council officers would be on hand at the drop-in exhibition to explain the plans and answer questions.

‘This scheme aims to encourage visitors, shoppers and businesses into the town, and help them by reducing their journey times,‘ said Mark. ‘We want to make it safer and better for motorists and pedestrians who use the busy town centre roads, and I’d encourage people to take part in the consultation because it’s important to listen to them, and modify our plans accordingly.‘

David Johncock, Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability, at Wycombe District Council, said: ‘We really want to make High Wycombe a much better place for everyone to live, work and visit. To that end, one of the things we are doing is to make the centre of the town more pedestrian friendly and less car centric.

We are achieving this by building the alternate route and it’s marvellous to note that we are now almost half-way through this ambitious project and looking ahead to the next key phases.

I know people are a bit fed-up at the moment with the continual roadworks but this will really be worthwhile in the end and will unlock so much of the town’s potential.‘

Richard Harrington, Chief Executive, Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership, said: ‘We are pleased to see this BTVLEP supported road scheme progressing well, which aims to improve traffic flow in and around High Wycombe Town Centre to improve traffic management and thereby support improvements and regeneration 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.

The public consultation ends on Friday 12th January 2018.