County bids for major road and transport schemes cash

Abidfor more than £42 million of Government money has been made by Buckinghamshire County Council to fund five road and transport schemes.

The major schemes, costing an estimatedtotal of £58.4m,are vitally important for the county’s continued growth and economic prosperity, says Council Leader Martin Tett.

They build on the County Council’s infrastructureinvestment programme, funded over the past few years by £53m from previous bids.

These have made possible the development of an alternative traffic route through High Wycombe, a relief road for Beaconsfield, link roads for Stocklake, Aylesbury, and the town’s eastern flank, and a new cycleway/footway between Buckingham and Winslow.

The latest bidincludes proposals for:

• Two new link road projects for Aylesbury;
• Road and transport improvements for Cressex Business Park, High Wycombe;
• Sustainable transport corridors along the Grand Union Canal from Wendover and Aylesbury; and
• A study to assess long-term improvements along the A418 corridor.

The County Council bid is divided between the Government’s £1,800 millionLocal Growth Fund through Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), and a £425m pot for large local major bids held by the Department for Transport.

Adecision is expected around the time of Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Autumn Statement in November.

Martin Tett said: ‘Buckinghamshire is a fast growing county that contributes hugely to the national exchequer. It is essential that we bid for and obtain the money necessary for the infrastructure, such as transport, to support that growth. Our residents expect nothing less.’

The difference between the County Council’s bid and each project’s total cost will be met by developer contributions.

Proposed schemes in detail

Alink road and cycleway at Stoke Mandeville would provide a connection between a proposed Aylesbury southern link road and a realigned A4010, which isbeing provided by HS2.

A north east link road and cycleway for Aylesbury would connect the western link road between Berryfields and Buckingham Parkto the eastern link road being builtthrough the new Kingsbrook housing estate between Bierton and Aston Clinton bypass.

Road and sustainable transport improvements at Cressex Business Park would strengthen its place as south Buckinghamshire’s principal industrial centre and secure its long-term commercial viability.

Greenways to Growth, a ‘green triangle’ proposal to transform the historic Aylesbury and Wendover arms of the Grand Union Canal, would providewalking and cyclingcorridors linking Aylesbury, Tring and Wendover, with commercial centres and public transport hubs, aiming to relieve traffic congestion.

A study of the A418 corridor would help assess long-term improvements necessary in growth areas between Oxford, Thame, Haddenham, Aylesbury and Milton Keynes.