Council still seeking funds for other congestion-busting major Aylesbury link road
Earlier this month, additional funding for a major traffic-easing link road in Aylesbury was announced to much fanfare.
On 7 February, the Department for Transport provided a £13.7m boost in funding for the South East Aylesbury Link Road.
With the additional money it is hoped that the new dual carriageway, plus three roundabouts, will be completed by late 2026, connecting the A413 Wendover Road with the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road, which is being constructed by HS2.
However, Bucks Council is still searching for a partner to fund a separate link road which some residents believe could have a greater impact on Aylesbury’s traffic woes.
It is hoped that the Eastern Link Road South (ELRS) that will connect the Eastern Link Road North and the A41 Aston Clinton Road, will further ease Aylesbury’s commuting issues with the town being notorious for its crawling traffic during school runs and rush hours.
It forms part of the council’s masterplan for Aylesbury which will see it connect to the Eastern Link Road and the Southern Link Road upon completion.
One source, with 20 years experience working within the transport industry, said the road has the potential to make a significant improvement to the frequent standing and slow-moving traffic in Oakfield Road and Tring Road.
In January last year, Bucks Council confirmed that it needed additional financial support to fund the project and was seeking a property developer to fund the scheme, as part of an agreement to oversee a 1,100-home development in Aylesbury Vale.
Bucks Council wants the company overseeing construction of the Woodlands development by Aston Clinton to also generate the money for the crucial traffic-easing roads scheme.
Last week, Bucks Council confirmed to the Bucks Herald that developers are interested in taking on the overall roads and housing project. Bucks Council hopes to update residents over the coming months.
Failure to fund the project separately from the major development has been linked to rising inflation costs. As part of the new plan, Bucks Council agreed to release £800,000 to support costs linked to improving the viability of the Woodlands project.
Bucks Council leader, Councillor Martin Tett, told The Bucks Herald: "The link roads are crucial parts of the congestion solution, as identified in the Aylesbury Transport Strategy, and we are actively working to deliver the key routes across the town - with notable works now taking place on the South East Aylesbury Link Road (SEALR). We understand the difficulties and delays that transport issues are causing across Aylesbury and we remain committed to delivering the aspirations of the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP).
"We are now working with the developers to ensure that the remainder of the ELRN (to just north of the canal) is built.
“The remainder of the road, from this point, southwards to the A41, is required as part of the Woodlands planning application, which was consented in April 2022. The Woodlands site was marketed last year and there are developers interested in the project, including the delivery of the new road. We are aiming to set out the next steps for this site and the road in the next few months."