Public consultation launched on £6.64m scheme to reduce congestion in London Road, High Wycombe

Matthew Clark | June 14, 2019

A public consultation has been launched on a proposed £6.64m scheme to reduce congestion in London Road, High Wycombe.

The proposed multi-million pound scheme to cut congestion and improve journey time reliability along one of High Wycombe#s busiest routes starts on Friday 14th June 2019.

The planned improvements on the A40 London Road will stretch from the Abbey Way junction by High Wycombe’s law courts to the M40 junction 3 roundabout at Loudwater.

Important to the £6.64 million scheme are improvements to five junctions and approaches along the three mile stretch of London Road. Residents, commuters and other road users will be asked for their feedback through a four week online consultation at www.buckscc.gov.uk/haveyoursay which ends on Friday 12th July 2019.

People can find our more about the scheme at a drop in exhibition to be held at Wycombe District Council offices on Thursday 20th June from 2.00pm to 8.00pm and information will be available at Wycombe Library throughout the consultation until Friday 12th July 2019.

Mark Shaw, Deputy Leader and Transport Cabinet Member, said London Road was an important route that attracted a high volume of traffic, which caused congestion and delay at peak times.

Engineers plan to tackle this by :

Introducing new and updated technology to control traffic.
Widening the road in some places.
Creating dedicated spaces for right hand turning traffic.
Improving pedestrian crossings.
Relocating bus stops.
Introducing real time travel information.
Moving some lengths of bus lanes to where they will be most effective.

Mark Shaw said: ‘None of us likes to sit in traffic jams, unsure about when we’ll arrive. The aim of this scheme is to improve the reliability of journey times by reducing congestion and delay. That’s got to be good for residents, businesses and travellers alike.

The scheme harnesses the latest technology to enhance the co-ordination of traffic light sequencing to ease congestion. It also makes better use of the road capacity.‘

Pedestrian crossings will be upgraded with new and more efficient equipment, cameras will monitor traffic flows so that adjustments can be made to traffic control and variable message signs will provide drivers with up to date information in the event of incidents, such as M40 closures, crashes or broken down vehicles.

The proposed scheme has been funded with £2.51 million from the Local Transport Board and £4.13 million from a successful bid to the National Productivity Investment Fund.

Details of the proposed improvement works can be found at www.buckscc.gov.uk/A40LondonRoad.

The improvements in detail are as follows :

Gordon Road junction: Changes to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows, new pedestrian crossing, over-run strip around central traffic island, tactile paving at crossing points, repositioned kerbs.

Gordon Road to London Road Junction improvements.

Hatters Lane junction and approach: Road widening and lane realignment to provide new approach lane for buses and vehicles turning left. New uncontrolled crossing point and relocated bus stop.

Hatters Lane to London Road junction improvements.

Micklefield Road junction and approach: Road widening and realigned traffic lanes including removal of town centre bound bus lane and traffic lanes lengthened. New right-turn lane for business estate with extended parking restrictions. Upgraded pedestrian crossing, traffic islands and new crossing layout, tactile paving at crossing point.

Micklefield Road to London Road junction improvements.

Gomm Road junction and approaches: Changes to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows, relocated bus stop, additional town-centre-bound traffic lane, new town centre bound bus lane west of junction, bus lane removal east of junction, right-turn lanes for King’s Road and Old Coach Drive.

Gomm Road to London Road junction improvements.

Gomm Road to Hammersley Lane: Changes to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows at Hammersley Lane, removal of town-centre-bound bus lane, new Loudwater bound bus lane, right-turn for local businesses and Ludlow Mews.

Gomm Road to Hammersley Lane junction improvements.

Rayners Avenue junction and approach: Refurbished junction, changes to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows removal of town-centre-bound bus lane, new Loudwater bound bus lane.