Consultation on Masterplan Phase 5 (Queen Victoria Road/Easton Street) closes on Fri 12 Jan 2018

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

The public consultation on Phase 5 of the Wycombe town centre Masterplan closes on Friday 12th January 2018.

Phase 5 of the Masterplan, which includes plans to put a footpath through former Library Gardens in High Wycombe as part of a road widening scheme, is the latest part of the multi-million pound re-organisation of the road network in the High Wycombe.

Rather than destroy the library gardens, the footpath on the eastern side of Queen Victoria Road could be narrowed to take the extra width of the road however this option would add an extra £400,000 to the cost of the project.

By putting a footpath through the library gardens the consultation states the following disadvantages :

• Allowing people into the gardens may lead to people not respecting and damaging the plants.
• It could encourage people to sit on the grass in the gardens causing possible damage.
• Some grass area will be lost to footpath.
• The footway on the west side of the road will be quite narrow at 1.2 meters.

However the footpath will :

• Be the least expensive of the options by approx. £400,000 by not having to raise the level of the road.
• Allow people to walk further away from the traffic.
• Allow residents and visitors of High Wycombe to appreciate the planting by walking through the garden.
• Be no need to alter the depth of utilities and other services, shortening the programme by approx 3 weeks.

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.

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.

Residents wishing to have their say on Phase 5 of the Masterplan can do so on the Phase 5 – Queen Victoria Road / Easton Street Junction consultation page on the Buckinghamshire County Council website.