MPs and councillors call for action after fatal collisions in Buckinghamshire
Calls are mounting for urgent safety measures on Buckinghamshire’s roads after a series of tragic crashes involving young people.
The past five months have seen at least four young lives lost in and around the county after a string of serious incidents.
Now, councillors, MPs, and the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner are demanding tougher action to make the area’s roads safer.
They are calling for lower speed limits, better road infrastructure, average-speed cameras, and national-level investment to tackle accident hotspots across Buckinghamshire.
In July, two young men were killed in a three-vehicle collision on Daws Hill Lane in High Wycombe which has seen two people arrested.
In separate incidents, a 19-year-old from Hazlemere, was killed in August after crashing into a telegraph pole in Oxfordshire and 18-year-old Drew Doolan from Marlow died in a single-vehicle crash on the A40 Oxford Road in Stokenchurch.
Councillor Darren Hayday, said: “We need speed restrictions in place, like speed humps/strips in residential roads where drivers race along our streets as if it’s a racetrack.
“It’s extremely dangerous. Bucks Council under the current legislation make it extremely hard to jump through the hoops to have speed humps, and Wycombe doesn’t have a Town Council to help fund projects…”
Councillor Hayday said he has been banging the drum for year but has been ignored, he also called for restrictions on several roads in his ward.
In a joint statement the councillors, Chris Chilton, Hazel Arthur-Hewitt, and Majid Hussain echoed Councillor Hayday’s call for action before more lives are lost.
“We must not wait for tragedy to strike before taking action.” They said “Near misses or minor accidents are warning signs and we should treat them with the urgency they deserve before they become major accidents.”
Councillor Jackson Ng, said: “I’m pressing for lower speed limits in built-up areas, average-speed cameras at critical pinch points.
“Buckinghamshire Council can mandate the right infrastructure, but national government must match our efforts with targeted investment…”
MP for Beaconsfield Joy Morrissey, called for a comprehensive approach to tackle the issue.
She said: “Combining enforcement, investment in safer infrastructure, and better education.
“Dangerous driving must be met with firm consequences, and we need to do more to raise awareness around risk and responsibility, particularly among young drivers.
“At a national level, I will continue to push for greater support to help local authorities make roads safer.”
Matthew Barber, Thames Valley’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said he is working with the Chief Constable, roads policing team to implement a Safe Systems Approach to reduce incidents on Buckinghamshire Roads.
He said: “In order to keep our roads safe, we must understand the causes of individual incidents.
“Some will relate to excessive speed, whereas others may have been caused by the illegal use of mobile phones, drink, drugs and reckless driving.
“Road safety remains a key role within my office, in support of my Police and Crime Plan to protect communities, people and property across Thames Valley.”
MP for Wycombe Emma Reynolds, said: “Road safety is a priority I take extremely seriously.
“I will continue working closely with local councillors, transport authorities, Thames Valley Police and national government to ensure we take meaningful steps to improve safety on our roads and prevent further loss of life.”