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Overview
| Where | A40 London Road in High Wycombe: from Abbey Way in the town centre to the M40 J3 roundabout in Loudwater. |
| When | New technology, pedestrian crossing and public transport enhancements began in September 2018. Junction improvements started in autumn 2019 with planned completion by October 2020. |
| Summary |
The project objectives are to ease congestion, improve journey time reliability, improve air quality, manage the road network during an incident, and unlock economic growth on A40 London Road through a combination of:
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| Current status and works |
Construction for junction improvements has started and is due to finish in summer 2020. To keep up to date with the current progress of works, view our latest bulletin. Receive notifications by subscribing to the bulletin. |
| Contact |
About the project
The A40 London Road is an important route in the east of High Wycombe with a high volume of traffic which currently causes congestion, particularly during peak times. The number of vehicles using the road is expected to increase in the future, making an already heavily congested route worse.
This project seeks to deliver improvements which will improve journey time reliability, ease congestion and as a result improve air quality.
View the A40 London Road corridor scheme plan.
Funding
Buckinghamshire Council (formerly Buckinghamshire County Council) submitted a funding bid to the Department For Transport’s (DFT) National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) to tackle existing congestion problems and enable economic growth.
The total budget for the scheme is £6.644M made up from:
- successful NPIF bid of £4.133 M
- Local Transport Board (LTB) funding of £2.511M
Project improvements
The project will deliver a range of improvements along the A40 London Road including the introduction of new technology, junction improvements, bus stop improvements and the optimisation of bus lane locations.
Work has been underway since the funding award to make sure the benefits are realised as soon as possible. This has included installation and preparatory works for a number of new corridor technologies, public transport infrastructure and pedestrian crossing improvements. The following new technologies are planned or have begun:
- Upgraded traffic signal equipment at junctions and crossings, allowing signal timings to better adapt to traffic flows and pedestrian demand.
- Traffic detectors installed in the road to sense traffic flows and queues, allowing traffic signals to adapt to the traffic conditions.
- Permanent Variable Message Signs (VMS) providing information to road users, such as queue times, road closures and parking space availability.
- Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras improving safety, monitoring traffic flows and providing information to help
- manage incidents.
- Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) units installed at bus stops providing up-to-date public transport information.
To help improve traffic flow and ease congestion, a number of junction upgrades and bus lane changes are also proposed along the A40 London Road.
Gordon Road junction
Changes to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows, new pedestrian crossing, over-run strip around central traffic island, tactile paving at crossing points, repositioned kerbs.
Hatters Lane junction and approach
Road widening and lane realignment to provide new approach lane for buses and vehicles turning left. New uncontrolled crossing point and relocated bus stop.
Hatters Lane junction and approach
Micklefield Road junction and approach
Road widening and realigned traffic lanes including removal of town-centre-bound bus lane and traffic lanes lengthened. Upgraded pedestrian crossing, traffic islands and new crossing layout, tactile paving at crossing point. New right-turn lane for business estate with extended parking restrictions.
Micklefield Road junction and approach
Gomm Road junction and approaches
Changes to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows and additional town-centre-bound traffic lane. New town-centre-bound bus lane west of junction, bus lane removal east of junction and relocated bus stop. New right-turn lanes provided for King's Road and Old Coach Drive.
Gomm Road junction and approaches
Gomm Road to Hammersley Lane
Changes to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows at Hammersley Lane, removal of town-centre-bound bus lane, new Loudwater-bound bus lane, right-turn for local businesses and Ludlow Mews introduced.
Rayners Avenue junction and approach
Refurbished junction, changes to traffic lights to make them more responsive to traffic flows and removal of town-centre-bound bus lane and new Loudwater-bound bus lane.
Rayners Avenue junction and approach
Project objectives
The combination of these technology improvements, the optimisation of bus lanes, and the junction improvements aim to deliver the main objectives of the project:
- ease urban congestion (improve journey time reliability)
- unlock economic growth and job creation opportunities
- improve air quality
- improved ability to manage traffic flows on the A40 when there is an incident on the highway network
Consultation
A consultation period was held in summer 2019 to seek views on proposed junction changes.
Following this consultation, responses were summarised in a report to the Cabinet Member for a decision to proceed with the project.
Supporting documents
Cabinet member decision report to approve implementation of the junction changes
A40 Consultation Brochure PDF, 11 pages, 3.93MB
A40-Micklefield-Ryemead-traffic management phasing plan PDF, 3.3MB
Press releases
