Half way mark in the Westbourne Street Link

Buckinghamshire County Council contractors are now half-way through the first phase of a new route through High Wycombe.

The £2 million Westbourne Link, part of High Wycombe's Masterplan, is phase one of a scheme to give traffic an alternative route through the town centre from the A40 (Oxford Road) to Marlow Hill.

They have been working on the Westbourne Street link from Belfield Road junction to Desborough Avenue since May and are due to finish in October.

Night-time closures of Oxford Road have enabled them to build a new section of road linking Westbourne Street to Oxford Road, new kerbs and drainage, utilities diversions, and a culvert in preparation for any future opening up of the River Wye.

Work at night will continue in Oxford Road until October to enable resurfacing and new pavements between The Pastures and Bellfield Road, tree-planting trees and green spaces, and installation of new streetlights and drainage.

Route diversions will remain in place throughout the project.

Phase two of the alternative route, from the southern end of the new Westbourne Street Link, along Desborough Road through the old gas works to Marlow Hill roundabout, is anticipated to start by March 2016.

High Wycombe's Masterplan - a joint project between Wycombe District and Buckinghamshire County Councils - aims to strengthen the town centre as a focus for jobs, shopping and leisure.

The project works programme and general arrangement plan, is updated weekly, on www.buckscc.gov.uk/hwmasterplan
Background notes

Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council apologise for any inconvenience caused during the works. To minimise disruption, the works that have the largest impact on the public have been programmed to be done at night.