More details about major works to London Road, High Wycombe, revealed

A major £6.64 million revamp is set to get underway in a bid to cut congestion and improve air quality along the busy three-mile stretch of road – and now the Bucks Free Press has been given more details about what the work will entail.

Traffic blackspot the Micklefield Road junction will see road widening take place and realigned traffic lanes including the removal of the rarely-used town-centre-bound bus lane.

The traffic lanes will be lengthened and a new right-turn lane for the business estate will be introduced with extended parking restrictions.

Thee pedestrian crossing will be upgraded and traffic islands and new crossing layout and tactile paving at the crossing point will be introduced.

Changes to the traffic lights at the Gomm Road junction will make them more responsive to traffic flows, the bus stop will be relocated and an extra town-centre-bound traffic lane will be created along with a new town-centre-bound bus lane to the west of the junction.

The bus lane will be removed at the east of the junction and right-turn lanes for Kings Road and Old Coach Drive will be added.

Between Gomm Road and Hammersley Lane, changes will be made to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows and at Hammersley Lane, the town-centre-bound bus lane will be removed and a new Loudwater-bound bus lane and right-turns for local businesses and Ludlow Mews will be created.

The Rayners Avenue junction will be refurbished, with traffic light changes and the removal of the town-centre-bound bus lane and creation of a new Loudwater-bound bus lane.

At the Gordon Road junction, more traffic light changes are planned as well as a new pedestrian crossing and repositioned kerbs.

And at the Hatters Lane junction, the road will be widened and lanes realigned to provide a new approach lane for buses and vehicles turning left.

There will also be a new uncontrolled crossing point and the bus stop will be moved.

A consultation on the multi-million pound scheme to cut congestion and improve journey time reliability along one of High Wycombe's busiest routes, starts today, Friday, June 14.

Residents, commuters and other road users will be asked for their feedback through a four-week online consultation at www.buckscc.gov.uk/haveyoursay which ends on Friday, July 12.

People can find out more about the scheme at a drop-in exhibition in Wycombe District Council offices on Thursday, June 20, from 2pm to 8pm, and information will be available at Wycombe Library throughout the consultation until July 12.

Mark Shaw, deputy leader and transport cabinet member, said London Road was an important route that attracted a high volume of traffic, which caused congestion and delay at peak times.

Engineers plan to tackle this through introducing new and updated technology to control traffic, widen the road in some places, create dedicated spaces for right-hand turning traffic, improve pedestrian crossings, relocate bus stops, introduce real-time travel information, and move some lengths of bus lanes to where they will be most effective.

"None of us likes to sit in traffic jams, unsure about when we'll arrive," said Mark. "The aim of this scheme is to improve the reliability of journey times by reducing congestion and delay. That's got to be good for residents, businesses and travellers alike.”

The scheme harnesses the latest technology to enhance the co-ordination of traffic light sequencing to ease congestion. It also makes better use of the road capacity, said Mark.

Pedestrian crossings will be upgraded with new and more efficient equipment, cameras will monitor traffic flows so that adjustments can be made to traffic control, and variable message signs will provide drivers with up to date information in the event of incidents, such as M40 closures, crashes or broken down vehicles.

The scheme, he said, would support economic growth and better job opportunities, as well as improve air quality.

The scheme has been funded with £2.51 million from the Local Transport Board, and £4.13 million from a successful bid to the National Productivity Investment Fund.