£2.7m improvement project starts in Oxford Road, Aylesbury

Diagram shows planned work at the Pearson Close/Thame Road South junction. (Image supplied by Buckinghamshire County Council)

A £2.7m improvement project started in Oxford Road, Aylesbury on Monday 11th November 2019.

The project aims to introduce new technology, allowing ‘smarter’ traffic management, combined with upgraded junctions, new cycleway connections, and real-time passenger information at bus stops.

Work, expected to last two weeks, has started on a new shared footway and cycleway at Pearson Close connecting Pearl Way, one of the Gemstone cycle routes at Thame Road, with Pebble Way towards the town centre.

There are expected to be daytime footway closures with only short durations of road narrowings to provide space for workers until the work is completed by Friday 22nd November 2019.

Overall, the improvements aim to cut congestion, improve air quality and make it easier and safer to cycle or walk, and include:

• Road widening at Fowler Road / Churchill Avenue crossroads, improved traffic light timings and a new shared footway and cycleway.
• Shared footway and cycleway connection at Pearson Close / Thame Road South junction to link with Gemstone routes, crossing improvements, new signs and tactile paving.
• Upgraded and linked traffic lights at junctions and crossings, allowing timings to better adapt to traffic flows and pedestrian demand.
• Upgraded permanent variable message signs to provide better information about traffic conditions, road closures and parking space availability.
• Closed Circuit Television to monitor traffic flows and help manage incidents.
• Real Time Passenger Information at bus stops, providing up-to-date transport information.
• Upgraded bus shelter outside Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School and Aylesbury College.

A spokesman for Buckinghamshire County Council said future works would focus on technology upgrades to modernise traffic management on this approach to Aylesbury town centre. The spokesman said : ‘We ask people to bear with us while the works take place, and ultimately this scheme will significantly enhance this area. We’ll be monitoring any traffic disruption closely during the course of the work.‘

The A418 Oxford Road corridor improvements scheme is a partnership project between Buckinghamshire County Council and Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership. The project budget is made up of a £2.191m bid to the Government’s National Productivity Investment Fund, and developer funding of £500,000.

Updates on the A418 Oxford Road corridor improvements project as available on the Buckinghamshire County Council website at www.buckscc.gov.uk/A418OxfordRoad.

*Source of article : Press release from Buckinghamshire County Council.