Bucks Council defends 'dangerous' road blockage near Aylesbury

For the second time in a year the council has been criticised for allowing a significant road closure between Weedon and Aston Abbotts.

Residents fear the closure is so substantial that larger emergency response vehicles wouldn’t be able to pass by.

Ambulances and fire engines would struggle to get by equipment which blocks half of the road heading towards Weedon.

It is the second time a major barrier has been set up on that road, back in October a similar structure disrupted traffic on Aston Abbotts Road.

Both times the blockage was implemented to allow Thames Water to carry out work.

Staff were carrying out maintenance on defective sewage work on a nearby verge.

Motorists in the area have criticised Thames Water for the scale of the blockade given that its work is mainly happening beside the road rather than on it.

Concerns around people’s ability to travel in and out of Weedon are heightened given the aging population in the village.

Some residents need day-to-day care in the area, and at least one homeowner is bedridden requiring treatment for an ongoing condition.

Motorists are furious that the block causes a 20-minute delay for travel into Aylesbury, adding extra costs at a time when fuel prices are skyrocketing.

One resident called the local authority ‘crass and arrogant’ for closing the road without first informing residents, stating blockade was ‘dangerous’.

The council says ‘emergency’ repair work meant that the road had to be closed without warning.

But the same resident accused the authority of ‘b*lls***ing’ and exaggerating the problem to fit its narrative.

Councillor Steven Broadbent told The Bucks Herald: “This is an emergency closure due to a burst water main. In these instances, we have to act quickly to allow emergency repairs to take place; we are also sending an inspector to the site to check on progress and to make sure arrangements are suitable for the works that are being carried out and managed by Thames Water.

“We ensured the emergency services are informed of the closure so they can take this into account when on any call-outs in the area.”

Thames Water declined to comment on the record.