Community organisations in Beaconsfield who say they have been left "in the dark" about plans for a relief road for the town are welcoming a meeting to update them on its progress next week.

Bucks County Council are holding a workshop for community groups to update them on the progress of the A355 improvements project, which includes plans for a relief road to ease congestion in the town, on October 7.

Developer Inland Homes, which is planning a 350-home development at former MOD site Wilton Park, were given permission by South Bucks District Council to construct phase one of a new road from the A40 Pyebush roundabout to the northern boundary of the Wilton Park site in Minerva Way.

Phase two is set to be completed by Bucks County Council, with £9.3 million in government funding allocated for the project.

Town groups say they have been left ‘a little bit in the dark’ about the details of the road and Mike Elliot, chair of campaign group Wilton Park Watch and the deputy chair for the Vision for Beaconsfield group, hopes the meeting will shed some light on the progress.

He said: “I am absolutely in favour of the relief road and I think the vast majority of residents are. Like all these things, I would like the road to be done tomorrow. We believe the budget has been set aside for the project, but the finer details are what we have all been waiting for.

“Everyone is a little bit in the dark about what they are going to come up with at this meeting, but we are hoping for a win-win situation for all current Beaconsfield residents and future residents.”

Mr Elliot hopes the meeting will address concerns on how the relief road would affect the rest of Beaconsfield.

He said: “We want to know the routing of the road and how far it will come out onto the A355 and what effect it will have on the rest of the town.

“I am particularly interested in how the relief road will affect the junctions of Ledborough Lane and Longbottom Lane, both of which are already very dangerous and whether or not it will increase congestion in other parts of the town.”

Traffic in the town is a big concern for residents, with London End dubbed a ‘congestion hotspot’ in a transport statement for the Wilton Park planning application submitted last year.

Vision for Beaconsfield chair, Douglas Butterfield, said: “There is a lot of congestion through the old town, especially around London End and people can queue for 20 or 30 minutes in the morning to try and get out of Beaconsfield. The town really needs some relief from all of that.

“I'm looking forward to the meeting, I think Beaconsfield really needs this relief road, but there are lots of things that need to be consulted about first.

“The road for people who want to travel to Amersham from the M40 will be fairly straightforward when the relief road is built. Where the traffic trying to get to Penn and Hazlemere will go is more controversial.

“We want to keep all the traffic going from the M40 to Amersham out of the old town and the new town. I think the consultation has to address all the issues.

“Beaconsfield needs some relief from congestion but I don’t think there is an easy answer. There is no ideal solution but as a town we have got to grasp the nettle.”

Sandy Saunders, chair of the Beaconsfield Old Town Residents Association (BOTRA), has concerns about how much phase one of the relief road would help.

He said: “It is going to help very little if it is not done fully with phase two. It will be like squeezing a gallon into a pint glass. I am interested to see what information the stakeholder’s meeting will hold.”

Town mayor, John Read, who will be attending the meeting said: “The desire for a relief road for Beaconsfield has existed for decades and I think the town would really benefit from one.

“I await to see what the consultation brings, but anything has to be an improvement. I cannot see that Beaconsfield would not benefit from it.”