Many people in Haddenham and the surrounding area are getting fed up with the road traffic delays on the A418 caused by the HS2 works, especially when one eventually reaches the site of the hold-up only to find that it is only a vehicle parked within the barrier with no-one in attendance and no work apparently being carried out.
This has happened frequently in recent weeks, with traffic backing up from Aylesbury as far back as the Henry Floyd School and well into the middle of Stone in the opposite direction; and getting out from Portway Road at the Bugle Horn onto the A418 can be a total nightmare.
Local resident Jenny Bullimore has recently written to Greg Smith MP to voice her concerns. She has received a reply from his office to say that if anyone has any photographic evidence of this happening they will investigate it and try to get something done.
So, dear residents of Haddenham, please help us to acquire photographic evidence of this problem, assuming you can do so safely (i.e., when travelling as a passenger – we are not encouraging you to break the law by using your mobile phone while driving!)
Below is Jenny's Email to our MP and the reply received:
Jenny's Email
Dear Mr Smith, MP for Buckingham
We know that HS2 will cause disruptions to our travel along the A418 however, on the last 3 occasions when travelling to Aylesbury, the 'road works' causing the disruption was a parked vehicle twice and on another time, one man doing nothing at all.
There is ample room for parking vehicles off the road within the barriers on a side track used by HS2 so is it really necessary to barrier off as a car park or one man doing nothing behind it.
This has caused long tail backs right to the traffic lights by the school in Oxford road Aylesbury towards Oxford and similarly to the middle of Stone village towards Aylesbury. This causes long delays and snarls up the traffic .
Is there anyway we can complain to the HS2 team to ask for a more sympathetic use of traffic barriers.?
Yours sincerely
Mrs. Jennifer Bullimore
Whitecross Road
Haddenham
The reply she received:
Dear Jennifer,
Many thanks for your email.
We're sorry to hear of the continuing disruption that HS2's presence is causing to yourself and others using the A418. We will have this particular instance of poor vehicle positioning investigated, but before doing so please can you inform us of exactly where the vehicles were parked and how exactly they were positioned. Indeed, if you have any photographs of these vehicles, and/or any identifying information such as a photograph of the license plate(s), we can expedite your query.
We look forward to hearing from you. Please let me know if you have any questions or if anything requires further clarification.
Best wishes
Ian Kelly
Parliamentary Assistant to Greg Smith MP for Buckingham
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
