TRAFFIC chaos could soon be clogging up the roads around the town as four utility companies begin a series of major roadworks.

TRAFFIC chaos could soon be clogging up the roads around the town as four utility companies begin a series of major roadworks.

Commuters, residents and shoppers have been asked to grin and bear it as major roads in Marlow, including New Town Road and parts of the Henley Road, are closed off, despite some of the companies doubling up and using the same trenches.

Mike Knight, area manager for highways for the Wycombe area at Buckinghamshire County Council, announced the works at a Marlow Town Centre Forum meeting on Wednesday.

He said at the meeting: 'It is uncontrollable. They have a statutory right to carry out this work and the county council is spending a lot of time to try and mitigate their effect, but there are some major works due.

'I don't know what else to say. I'm bitterly disappointed. I have told everybody what I think but it makes little difference.'

He added: 'I'm expecting most of the work in Marlow to be finished before Christmas. It is possible there will be some problems, we ask people to be patient and bear with us.'

In the next six to ten weeks, Cable and Wireless will laying cables from Henley through to Amersham, going along the Henley Road, down Pound Lane, through to Station Road and Dedmere Rise then up to High Wycombe.

Telecommunications company Tycom Networks, will also be using Pound Lane, carrying on through the town centre, then out to Bourne End and Flackwell Heath.

Ukerna, an electricity company, is running lines through Globe Park and then up the Wycombe Road. It has not yet been decided how to tackle the Handy Cross roundabout, but work may well coincide with major resurfacing works at the roundabout by the Highways Agency.

Transco is due to dig up New Town Road to replace pipes, forcing its closure.

Richard Hunt, chairman of the Marlow Chamber of Trade, said: 'By God there's going to be some disruption.

'We hope that effective diversions are put in place with plenty of sineage, otherwise the town could find itself gridlocked.

'Having said that, we must not decry progress and I'm sure Buckinghamshire County Council will do the very best they can for us.'