A group of south Bucks villages are being “hit from all sides” by “nationally needed construction projects”, transport bosses have claimed.

Paul Irwin, deputy transport cabinet member at Bucks County Council (BCC) and founding chairman of the Ivers Members Liaison Group (IMLG), has said the Ivers are set to suffer as a result of the planned Heathrow expansion and western railway link into the airport, and is calling for National Rail to part-fund a relief road to help ease congestion.

Planning chiefs at BCC say the spur would “not only support businesses in the county, but also provide local people living west of the junction with improved rail access to the airport”.

But there are “severe concerns” about the potential “adverse effect” of the link, which leaves the main Great Western line at Iver and dives underneath the tracks into a tunnel to the airport, on the communities in Iver, which officials say are already facing the “cumulative effects of multiple infrastructure projects” including the controversial third runway which was given the green light by MPs this week.

Cabinet member for planning and environment Bill Chapple said while the county council welcomes the plans, it is wary of a “lack of consideration” by Network Rail over the effects the scheme could have on roads, traffic movements, and access routes across the main line, and about arrangements for construction traffic.

And Cllr Irwin echoed Cllr Chapple’s concerns, especially over Network Rail’s proposal to close Hollow Hill Lane, a primary access route across the main line, into neighbouring Langley.

Here, the airport-bound railway spur would cross Hollow Hill Lane at road level before diving into a tunnel under the main line, requiring the road to be blocked off.

And this, says Cllr Irwin, would send almost 10,000 vehicles a day on winding alternative routes, putting further pressure on an “already busy” Iver village centre.

He said: “I'm not convinced this proposal has been fully assessed. While we support the rail project, we would like to see the scheme designed to ensure this crucial link remains open to all traffic.

“If this isn’t possible, Network Rail need to demonstrate to us and our residents that closure is absolutely necessary, and will need to provide a long-term alternative that works for everyone.

“The Ivers are being hit from all sides by nationally needed construction projects. With parish and district colleagues, we’re clear a new road link is needed to ensure the local communities playing ‘host’ to these schemes are not severely impacted.

“If keeping the existing road open isn’t possible then Network Rail should part fund the Iver relief road as a like-for-like replacement of the closed road.

“The relief road would reduce the effect that closing Hollow Hill Lane will have on residents and businesses.”