Tuesday 28 July 2015

TAYLOR WIMPEY STARTS WORK ON TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES IN DAWS HILL LANE, HIGH WYCOMBE

Work is set to start to install traffic calming measures in Daws Hill Lane as part of Taylor Wimpey’s Pine Trees development site in Daws Hill, High Wycombe.

The developer is installing a new elongated roundabout creating two new access roads into the RAF Daws Hill site, along with associated carriageway and footpath works, two pedestrian crossings and footpath widening along Daws Hill Lane to Austenwood Close.

Work is due to start on Monday 3rd August 2015, and is anticipated to take approximately 14 weeks to complete for the roundabout. It is envisaged the footpath widening along Daws Hill Lane to Austenwood Close will continue after this period.

The majority of the works will be carried out within the RAF Daws Hill site boundary. However, there will be temporary traffic lights in Daws Hill Lane for approximately 14 weeks, with four of these weeks coinciding with the school summer holidays. Further traffic lights will be required for the footpath widening works, with details of these still to be confirmed.

Jonathan Miller, Technical Director for Taylor Wimpey, says: “Once complete, the traffic calming measures will provide significant improvements for road users and pedestrians.

“We apologise for any inconvenience the roadworks may cause, but would like to assure local people that we are working to ensure that the work is carried out as quickly as possible, keeping disruption to an absolute minimum.”

As part of the works, two bus stops – which will also serve as a school drop-off point for St Michael’s School – are being constructed on the Taylor Wimpey development, which will result in less school and bus traffic using Daws Hill Lane, reducing traffic delays.
The new signalised crossing at the school access will further help to reduce delays, by ensuring a better balance of time is given to vehicles and to pedestrians and preventing traffic being stopped continuously.

Pine Trees will comprise a selection of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, with a choice of five-bedroom properties now available to reserve off-plan from £740,000.

The new homes are currently selling from JNP estate agents, 18 Crendon Street, High Wycombe, HP13 6LS. The Sales Executive is available Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and can be contacted on 01494 412187, while further information is available online at www.taylorwimpey.co.uk.

Information about the traffic calming works is on display for the public to view at Wycombe District Council offices and High Wycombe Library during their normal opening hours.

Bucks roads improving as programme's first quarter completes

Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) have now completed the first quarter of their resurfacing programme, and with a substantial number of finished sites tucked under their belt, they are getting on with the second quarter and more hard work.
The programme kicked off on the 1 April, and since then TfB have been working through their schedule of over 320 schemes. This schedule consists of:
• Over 90 conventional surfacing schemes.
• Over 150 micro surfacing schemes.
• 30 surface dressing schemes.
• 50 footway surfacing schemes.

The following progress has been made:
• 18 conventional carriageway surfacing schemes have been completed, equating to 80,000m² of road surface.
• Preparatory work is in progress on micro surfacing and surface dressing schemes in readiness for the major work at a later date.
• Micro-surfacing programme is now in progress
• Almost half of all conventional footway surfacing schemes have been completed – ahead of schedule
• Footway preparatory work has begun for slurry surfacing schemes

Looking ahead, TfB are about to commence the schemes that have been subject to BCC’s benchmarking exercise, which demonstrates TfB is delivering value for money and compares favourably with levels and standards being achieved nationally. This will comprise 40 resurfacing schemes.

In addition to this, they aim to achieve by the end of September:
• Completion of over 50% of the conventional surfacing programme.
• Completion of the surface dressing programme.
• Completion of 40% of the micro surfacing programme.
• Start of benchmarking schemes on site.
• Start of footway slurry surfacing schemes on site.
• Start of high friction surfacing programme.
• Start of plane and patch schemes on site.

In addition, a further £3m plane and patch programme has been identified which will be spread over two years. A site list has been drawn up and added to the programme to be underway by the end of September.

Paul Irwin, Deputy Cabinet Member for Transport at Buckinghamshire County Council said, “We have made brilliant progress with our resurfacing programme and are ahead of schedule in some areas. The good weather has helped us, along with a great delivery team who are highly experienced in managing schemes of this magnitude. I’m looking forward to a successful second quarter and some more excellent improvements to our County’s roads.”

TfB has received some great feedback for schemes that they have completed during this quarter. Silverstone Circuit Ltd said, "Buckinghamshire County Council rose to the challenge... the works have been completed in good time for the 2015 Formula One British Grand Prix, meaning customers, as well as local road users will benefit from the much improved surface."

And West Wycombe Parish Council commented that, "The job was finished perfectly on time and we really appreciate everyone's hard work. Thank you BCC/TfB."

TfB couldn’t complete their packed programme without high quality contractors, and this season they have issued two ‘Gold Notices’ – one to Eurovia for their work on The Pastures in High Wycombe, and one to Stabilised Pavements for their work on Silverstone Road, Dadford. These notices reinforce and recognise good practice and are only awarded for the very highest quality of delivery.

Friday 17 July 2015

Champion road crews race to smooth the Silverstone surface

Whilst world champion F1 drivers were planning how to take the Silverstone surface, surfacing of a different kind had been going on along the roads outside.

As part of the investment in the County’s road network, Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) road crews were working around the clock to complete a challenging and innovative road reconstruction project on Dadford Road, in the very north of the county, on the approach to the Grand Prix circuit. The road had been one of those earmarked for improvement after road condition surveys, examination by technicians and following consultation with local councillors.

In just over five weeks, TfB crews reconstructed and resurfaced a two and a half mile length between Dadford and Silverstone.

As well as this work, the team also carried out essential drainage and landscaping, along with new signs and road markings, taking full advantage of the road closure in place.

Dave Stewart, Transport for Buckinghamshire Schemes Delivery Manager, said they'd set themselves set a tight schedule, and praised the dedication of the workforce:

"I'm delighted that this challenging project has been successfully delivered on time and budget. We've kept costs down, improved safety and been environmentally friendly at the same time. The work included recycling of significant quantities of old surface materials, bringing environmental and cost benefits and minimising haulage on local roads."

Alex Lacey, Head of Events for Silverstone Circuits Ltd. was also very impressed the way the works were carried out, "Transport for Buckinghamshire set themselves a considerable challenge in April to undertake this work within timescales," he said. "They rose to this challenge and, through a close working relationship and regular communications between all parties, the works were completed in good time for the 2015 Formula One British Grand Prix, meaning customers, as well as local road users, will benefit from the much improved road surface."

Mark Shaw, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Transport said: "We've now got a road surface that residents - and even F1 drivers - would be proud of! I know it was a big challenge to work towards such a high profile target as the Grand Prix weekend, and I congratulate the team for their determination and drive to take the chequered flag first!"