New Haydon Hill Greenway extension officially opens
With a deft snip of the scissors, the Haydon Hill extension to the ever-popular Waddesdon Greenway was officially opened today (24 August) in front of delighted local residents, councillors and officials.
The new extension means that a 9 km long, low-traffic route from Aylesbury town centre all the way to Waddesdon village via the Roman Park Leisure area at Berryfields is now available for the very first time.
The new 650m link, from Gogh Road, Haydon Hill to Aylesbury Vale Parkway railway station, provides the important connection from the Emerald Way cycle route through to the Waddesdon Greenway, and gives walkers, runners, cyclists, commuters and those just out for a bit of fresh air, a brand new route to enjoy.
It includes a new 15 metre long bridge over the River Thame, four new bench seats, additional flood mitigation measures and special solar eye lights to illuminate sections of the pathway at night.
The route is the latest addition to the vision of a Buckinghamshire Greenway running north to south right across the county from the Brackley borders to the Colne Valley.
The scheme has been funded by a £400,000 grant from the Department for Transport and administered by the walking and cycling charity, Sustrans. The project itself, which was granted planning permission in July 2020, was designed by Greenways & Cycleroutes who also built the adjoining Waddesdon Greenway.
Snipping expertly through the ribbon, Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Transport, Steve Broadbent said he was delighted to officially open the route. “This is a fantastic new asset for both our residents and visitors to use. Not only will it build on the huge success of the Waddesdon Greenway since it opened in 2018, but it now completes a low-traffic route all the way from Aylesbury town centre to Waddesdon village, with an important connection to Aylesbury Vale Parkway station too, which is great news.”
Steve added: “I’d like to thank everyone involved in the planning and construction of the pathway for all their hard work to deliver this fantastic new route to time and to budget.”
Louis Devenish, Senior Network Development Manager for south of England at Sustrans said: “It’s brilliant to see the Haydon Hill link open for everyone to enjoy.
“Completing the connection between Aylesbury and the Waddesdon Greenway better enables residents and visitors to make their everyday journeys by foot, cycle or wheel, providing links to local employment, amenities and visitor attractions.
“Linking to the Waddesdon Greenway, and realising another section of the Buckinghamshire Greenway, this extension brings us one step closer to our vision of a network of paths across the UK that are safer and more accessible for everyone who wants to use them.”
Buckinghamshire Council local ward member for Stone and Waddesdon, Paul Irwin added: “This is great news for residents in Waddesdon, Berryfields and Aylesbury. Not only does it open up additional recreation and leisure opportunities, but it also gives people a new option of getting to work, school and other local amenities rather than starting the car or catching public transport.
“The usage of the Waddesdon Greenway has been nothing short of amazing since it opened in 2018 and last year alone 160,000 visits were recorded. With this extension now completing the connection into Aylesbury, I expect more and more people will benefit. Well done to all involved.”
The extension also means new opportunities for those renting the existing Waddesdon Greenway e-bikes and for those using Zipp e-scooters as part of the official trial in and around Aylesbury.
The map can be found at
Aylesbury to Waddesdon Active Travel route map – Reupload – 20210824131039352.pdf
