Confused motorists have been spotted driving the wrong way around a new roundabout (pictured above) on a notoriously busy town centre road, with worried residents slamming the “awkward” design.

The elongated roundabout on Daws Hill Lane, High Wycombe, was built as part of the controversial 441-home development which is currently ongoing at the site of the old RAF Daws Hill base.

Hundreds of vehicles are expected to need to use the new junction, between Marlow Hill and Heath End Road, once the Taylor Wimpey ‘Pine Trees’ development is finished, but residents say they are fearful for people who do not know how to navigate the road safely.

Chepping Wycombe Parish councillor, Jeff Herschel, said: “My personal opinion is it’s a very awkward design, but I understand why it’s there.

“You’re going to have 500, 600 cars coming out of there and for people going to Wycombe in rush hour it would be a complete nightmare.

“I got the feeling it’s a very awkward design, but I don’t really see that they have much of an alternative.”

Last week, Transport for Bucks warned drivers about the configuration of the new roundabout, tweeting “We have issues with road users travelling the wrong way round”.

VIDEO: On Monday the Bucks Free Press tested out the roundabout and pictured one driver going the wrong way, having missed the initial left-turn.

The confusion comes after a long-running campaign against the development, with residents claiming the busy road was not suitable for the huge increase in traffic.

However, Cllr Herschel hopes that the roundabout will become less confusing in the future when work is finished.

He said: “At the moment it’s half-finished and there are so many things still going on in the area. There are a lot of red and yellow signs and if you came up to the roundabout at nightfall or in the early morning, it can be very confusing.

“I can only assume that once they get rid of all the construction signs it will be easier, but it doesn’t bode well for the future if there is going to be even more traffic.”

Cllr Herschel has also raised concerns over an increase of traffic on the road if plans to build another possible 500-home development on Abbey Barn Lane is given the green light.

Taylor Wimpey technical director, Jonathan Miller, said: “The design and construction of the new roundabout on Daws Hill Lane was the subject of many years of consultation with Wycombe District Council and Bucks County Council in addition to a number of public consultations with the local community and local stakeholders.

Bucks Free Press:

New roundabout layout in Daws Hill Lane, High Wycombe - ARM Images

“Since the new layout has been open Taylor Wimpey and Bucks County Council have jointly observed both pedestrian and traffic flow at the junction and an independent audit has also been carried out by our highways engineers.”

He added that the assessments resulted in some minor amendments to temporary and permanent signage.  

The works will also provide two pedestrian crossings and pavement widening along Daws Hill Lane to Austenwood Close.

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