Urgent repairs after stormwater drain collapses

Engineers from Transport for Buckinghamshire are working to restore a section of Plomer Hill, High Wycombe, which collapsed following heavy thunderstorms on Thursday (13 August).

The emergency centres on a 27 metre (88ft) long section of stormwater drain, which appears to have collapsed, affecting kerbside gulleys that connect to it, and causing a wash-out to a depth of just over a metre (4ft).

The road has been closed between its junction with West Wycombe Road and Plomer Green Avenue, to allow the pipework to be excavated and replaced.

Overnight (Friday/Saturday) a high pressure jetter will attempt to clear the pipes so that a remote controlled video survey can be carried out in the entire stormwater system up and down Plomer Hill, to check for any other problems.

The road will remain closed on safety grounds, allowing access for residents, and it is expected to be reopened by next Friday (21 August).

Nick Naylor, Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Our team is working flat out to investigate the problems and do the necessary repairs, and they’ll open the road as soon as it’s safe to do so. My thanks to residents for bearing with us while we fix this problem.”

Nick said that planned overnight surfacing work was now being carried out concurrently with the emergency pipe works during the day, while the emergency closure was in place, to minimise disruption for residents and motorists.