Buckinghamshire County Council

News

8th May 2013

Young drivers get the chance to win a new car with 'The Good Egg Guide for New Drivers'

Young drivers have the chance to win a brand new car with the launch of a new driving safety guide.

‘The Good Egg Guide for New Drivers,’ is being promoted by Transport for Buckinghamshire’s Road Safety Team in partnership with the Arnold Clark Group, who are donating the brand new Chevrolet Spark worth up to £9,000, which new drivers can win simply by completing a quick online quiz before the end of May.

The driving safety guide is an all-in-one resource for young drivers with tips on choosing the right instructor, passing the theory and practical tests, buying and insuring a first car, traffic law and staying safe – including some sobering facts about drink and drug driving.

Road traffic collisions are currently the leading cause of death and serious injury among 17- 24 year olds in the UK. On average, seven young drivers or passengers are killed or seriously injured every day. Research reveals new drivers are most likely to become involved in a road collision during the first two years of driving and are up to 17 times more likely to crash than an experienced driver. 40 per cent of all car passengers who are killed or seriously injured in a collision are being driven at night by a young driver who has recently passed their driving test.

John Lamb, Service Director for Place Service at Buckinghamshire County Council said: “The Road Safety Team at Transport for Buckinghamshire is promoting the Good Egg Guide for new drivers as part of their young driver programme. We hope the guide will help to support new drivers and their parents or carers in making the right choices to stay safe.”

Please contact the Road Safety Team for your free copy of The Good Egg Guide for New Drivers while stocks last, by phoning 01296 382450 or email: roadsafety@buckscc.gov.uk

For more information for young drivers and to enter the competition visit: http://www.gettingitandkeepingit.com

2nd May 2013

Parking contract saves a quarter of a million pounds

Savings of around a quarter of a million pounds have been made by Buckinghamshire County Council through outsourcing on-street parking services.

The County Council contracted NSL to run on-street parking services across the county in phases in from September 2011 to December 2012.

Fewer NSL staff patrol streets than when the service was council-run, yet the number of Penalty Charge Notices issued has not varied significantly, enabling the contract to break even on costs against income.

John Lamb, Buckinghamshire County Council Service Director for Place Service, said: "The success of this contract with NSL is great news for the council taxpayer. Not only are we on the way to breaking even, our customers are very pleased with the efficiency with which the service is being managed."

Mr Lamb said that any future surplus income would be used by Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) on traffic management projects meeting the priorities of Buckinghamshire's residents. It could, he said, enable TfB to reassess Traffic Regulation Orders in response to residents' requests to reconsider waiting restrictions.

1st May 2013

Lorry demo teaches schoolchildren about road safety

Children at primary schools in Buckinghamshire are learning about the dangers of lorries on roads with a road safety awareness initiative.

Gist Logistics, in partnership with Transport for Buckinghamshire’s Road Safety Team and the Sustainability Team for Place service, are working to promote the initiative to schools throughout Buckinghamshire.

Through an interactive indoor session and an outdoor session with a practical demonstration, children are taught valuable road safety advice on large vehicles, including the dangers of under-estimating lorry stopping distances. Children are also given the chance to sit in the lorry cab to help them understand where 'blind spots' are on the vehicles.

Cheddington Primary School recently hosted one of the demonstrations. Kim Key, School Travel Plan co-ordinator at Cheddington Primary school, commented: "The Gist team were excellent and the children responded well to both aspects of the presentation. It was a real eye opener for the adults too."

John Lamb, Service Director for ‘Place’ service, said: “We are pleased to support the Gist programme which aims to instil road safety awareness in children from an early age. It’s important that young cyclists and pedestrians have an understanding of the difficulties and limitations for drivers of large lorries.”

Martin Gwynn, Gist's Chief Executive, said: “Gist’s focus on safety within our operations has always been essential, but we also feel it is important to pass on practical safety messages to young people to help make our communities as safe as possible.”

30th April 2013

New jobs and equipment for new grass cutting season

Grass cutting on roadside verges has begun across Buckinghamshire with new equipment and 23 new jobs.

Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) started the new season in South Bucks, Chiltern and Wycombe districts with nine new tractor mowers, strimmers and blowers bought from local supplier George Browns, which is also providing training and maintenance.TfB also recruited an additional 23 local staff.

John Lamb, Buckinghamshire County Council's Service Director for Place Service, said: "We are very pleased to have been able to offer work to local people. Some of the applicants had been out of work for some time so it was satisfying for TfB to recruit locally and offer employment."

Although the prolonged cold and wet weather delayed the start of grass cutting TfB says it will finish on schedule in the autumn.

In Aylesbury Vale district urban grass cutting is being done by Salcey Forest Landscape, based near Buckingham, while rural cutting is being carried out by local contractor Robert North.

10th April 2013

New bus route between Chesham & High Wycombe

A new bus service called the ONE will start running between Chesham and High Wycombe on Sunday April 14. The route is a combined service operated by Carousel (the red one) and Arriva (the blue one) replacing the old 4 and 62 routes. The new route offers:

  • A more co-ordinated timetable
  • Frequent buses operating up to every 15 minutes between Chesham, Amersham, Holmer Green, Hazlemere and High Wycombe.
  • Half hourly buses to Pond Park (the blue one) and Chesham, Grammar School (the red one)
  • Daily return tickets accepted by either company, giving more journey opportunities for paying passengers.

Sean Rooney, Transport for Buckinghamshire's Senior Manager with responsibility for transport, said: 'Transport for Buckinghamshire have acted as broker in securing this Quality Agreement between Arriva and Carousel, so that we can offer passengers a more coherent and effective service between Chesham and High Wycombe.'

Transport for Buckinghamshire works in partnership with bus companies, to improve and promote bus services, helping the environment, reducing congestion and increasing accessibility.

9th April 2013

'We're Working On It' Road Treatment Works: Desborough Park Road & Dashwood Avenue, High Wycombe

Highway maintenance work will be carried out on Desborough Park Road and Dashwood Avenue, as part of the ‘We’re Working On It’ programme by Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB).

The work, scheduled to start on Monday 15 April, is being done to improve the condition of the road and prolong its life and will be done at night to minimise daytime disruption. Working at night is also more cost effective as more work can be done during a shorter time.

TfB expects treatment work to take 4 nights during which the road will be closed between 7pm and 7am. Information signs will be erected before work starts will give dates and durations.

The work could be disrupted during bad weather, but advance notices at either end of the site will be updated to reflect any changes.

To minimise the impact on residents TfB will endeavour to keep noise levels on site as low as reasonably possible at all times. However, owing to the nature of these works, noisy activities may occur at times and TfB apologises in advance for this.

There will be a signed diversion route and every effort will be made to maintain access for residents, although there may be some delay as road treatment works pass a particular property, and TfB apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.

28th March 2013

DfT award County Council £1.254M to reduce traffic congestion on A40, High Wycombe

Buckinghamshire County Council is delighted to announce that it has been successful in being awarded funding of £1.254 million from the Department for Transport (DfT) for the Bucks Connectivity project at A40/A4010 Chapel Lane, High Wycombe.

The project will reduce congestion at this traffic bottleneck and is the very first scheme to be named by the Department for Transport in Tranche 1 of the Local Pinch Point Fund. The pinch point fund is aimed at removing bottlenecks on the local highway network and so drivers can expect fewer delays at this junction in the future.

Detailed design work will take place in the coming months and the junction improvement is expected to be completed by summer 2014. The project involves widening and realignment of Chapel Lane, the complete refurbishment of the A40/Plomer Hill Traffic signals and the introduction of a A40 West bound pre-signal which will prioritise the North/South Chapel Lane/A40 movements. As part of the works, 323 West Wycombe Road, owned by the County Council , will be demolished in the near future.

John Lamb, Place Service Director for Buckinghamshire County Council said "This junction has been a congestion hot spot for a long time. The award of this funding is excellent news and means Transport for Buckinghamshire can now deliver a project that can unblock this traffic bottleneck”.

Full details of the project can be found on the TfB Service Information Centre.

http://www.transportforbucks.net/Roadworks-Centre/Schemes-and-projects/Our-schemes-and-projects/Bucks-Connectivity.aspx

27th March 2013

300k grant to help Chesham prepare for future floods

Help to protect Chesham from the risk of flooding has come in the shape of a £300,000 grant to Buckinghamshire County Council.

The government grant, under DEFRA's Pathfinder scheme, will go towards developing the town as a more flood resilient community, by:

  • Setting up a volunteer flood action network.
  • Focusing on the greatest risk of flooding along Vale Brook.
  • Developing an aquaprint for the town.

The project will capitalise on Change for Chesham an existing high profile marketing and behavioural change programme. This, combined with a more personalised intervention called FloodSmart aims to make homeowners aware of their flood risk and of measures they can take to prepare.

Through Change for Chesham, a voluntary flood action group will be set up, flood wardens recruited and a volunteer-led maintenance programme established, supported by a community flood plan and mock flood exercises.

A main aim will be to increase surface water capacity by doing a review of the town's highway drainage network and identifying opportunities to disconnect systems from the Vale Brook culvert, which provides the greatest flood risk. This will be supported by schemes to reduce run-off from individual properties.

An Aquaprint for Chesham will be developed as a blueprint for the town to identify opportunities for flood storage and attenuation when sites are redeveloped.

Grant money will pay for property flood surveys, highway drainage surveys, hydraulic modelling for drainage designs, and highway improvements will aim to target. The county council will provide an additional £157,000 principally through improvements to the highway network, grants to home owners and officer time to manage schemes and consult with locals.

John Lamb, Service Director for Buckinghamshire County Council's Place Service, said: 'This additional funding will make a real difference in Chesham. Working with the community we will be able to make sure that residents are well prepared for any future flooding.' 

22nd March 2013

'We're Working On It' confirm £10 million budget for their first tranche of road repairs this year

£10 million of the £25m earmarked for investment in Buckinghamshire's roads over the coming two years, will be spent in the first year.

And it could be more.

Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) has announced the first 57 roads across the county to be treated in the We’re Working On It’ programme between April 2013 and March 2014. Further details of additional work to be undertaken as part of the We're Working on it campaign will be released as it is confirmed.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning Transportation said: “With the recent wet winter we are eager to get our road treatment programme back underway. Now that we have confirmation of the £10m budget for the next year's work, I am delighted that we can now announce the news the public have been waiting for - the names of the first tranche of 57 roads to be treated this year.”

This first tranche is being programmed by TfB’s Capital Maintenance Team.

Mr Hardy said the £25m investment over two years would help address a large backlog of repair work, but still only enabled TfB to treat a small percentage of the roads in need of repair in Buckinghamshire.

More information, including the names of the 57 roads: http://www.transportforbucks.net/Were-working-on-it.aspx

DfT award County Council £1.254M to reduce traffic congestion on A40, High Wycombe

Buckinghamshire County Council is delighted to announce that it has been successful in being awarded funding of £1.254 million from the Department for Transport (DfT) for the Bucks Connectivity project at A40/A4010 Chapel Lane, High Wycombe.

The project will reduce congestion at this traffic bottleneck and is the very first scheme to be named by the Department for Transport in Tranche 1 of the Local Pinch Point Fund. The pinch point fund is aimed at removing bottlenecks on the local highway network and so drivers can expect fewer delays at this junction in the future.

Detailed design work will take place in the coming months and the junction improvement is expected to be completed by summer 2014. The project involves widening and realignment of Chapel Lane, the complete refurbishment of the A40/Plomer Hill Traffic signals and the introduction of a A40 West bound pre-signal which will prioritise the North/South Chapel Lane/A40 movements. As part of the works, 323 West Wycombe Road, owned by the County Council , will be demolished in the near future.

John Lamb, Place Service Director for Buckinghamshire County Council said "This junction has been a congestion hot spot for a long time. The award of this funding is excellent news and means Transport for Buckinghamshire can now deliver a project that can unblock this traffic bottleneck.”

Full details of the project can be found on the TfB Service Information Centre.

http://www.transportforbucks.net/Roadworks-Centre/Schemes-and-projects/Our-schemes-and-projects/Bucks-Connectivity.aspx

15th March 2013

Councils will continue to fight decision which flies in the face of reality

The 15 councils opposing the high speed rail link, HS2, were in the High Court today to hear the result of the Judicial Review (JR) of the Government’s decision to press ahead with the £34 billion project.

Martin Tett, Chairman of the 51m Alliance and Leader of Buckinghamshire County Council said:

“Firstly we are delighted that the judge agrees with the HS2 Action Alliance’s challenge that the compensation consultation was fundamentally flawed. This decision will have a real impact on the lives of so many people whose homes and lives are currently blighted by this scheme.

“Secondly, we find the Court’s reasoning for not supporting our (the local authorities) case against the failure to properly consult on the principle of the scheme totally bizarre. The government has argued, and the judge accepted, that the government hasn’t made any decision yet on HS2 – not only on the northern ‘Y’ route, but that it hasn’t even taken a decision to proceed with the London to Birmingham section! For all who watched the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet announcing the routes to Manchester and Leeds only a few weeks ago, this must feel like some kind of ‘parallel universe’! We will obviously appeal this decision as it defies common sense.

“We are also particularly concerned at the DfT’s view, which the judge accepted, that the business case and environmental impacts of HS2 don’t need to be considered yet. His view is that Parliament may be able to fully consider the principle of HS2 and its environmental implications and if it doesn’t then we can challenge this later. This defies reality and risks a very bad scheme being ‘nodded through’ the political process and then facing further legal challenge in several years time. By then vast amounts of taxpayers’ money will have been spent on a scheme which could be scrapped. It would be better to face up to the deficiencies in the decision making and the HS2 scheme, now.”

14th March 2013

We're Working On It' Road Treatment Works: Main Road, Lacey Green

Highway maintenance work will be carried out on Main Road, Lacey Green, as part of the ‘We’re Working On It’ programme by Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB).

The work, scheduled to start on Friday 22 March, is being done to improve the condition of the road and prolong its life and will be done at night to minimise daytime disruption. Working at night is also more cost effective as more work can be done during a shorter time.

TfB expects treatment work to take 10 nights during which the road will be closed between 7pm and 7am. Information signs before work starts will give dates and durations.

The work could be disrupted during bad weather, but advance notices at either end of the site will be updated to reflect any changes.

To minimise the impact on residents TfB will endeavour to keep noise levels on site as low as reasonably possible at all times. However, owing to the nature of these works, noisy activities may occur at times and TfB apologises in advance for this.

There will be a signed diversion route and every effort will be made to maintain access for residents, although there may be some delay as road treatment works pass a particular property, and TfB apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.

Further information about this work can be found on TfB’s Service Information Centre at: http://www.transportforbucks.net/Were-working-on-it.aspx

13th March 2013

We’re Working On It’ treats 178 in a year 

Road treatment work under Transport for Buckinghamshire's (TfB) county-wide We're Working On It programme for 2012/13 is almost complete.

Just a handful of roads are outstanding, and these will be completed this month ahead of a new road treatment programme for 2013/14, which starts in late April.

When complete, the 2012/13 programme, which started last April, will have treated 178 roads across Buckinghamshire - the equivalent of:

  • the weight of 5,825 elephants or 285 blue whales.
  • the length of road from Aylesbury to Central London twice - with some miles left over.
  • the area of 90 football pitches.

The investment in the county's roads of £25 million, announced at the February county council meeting, will pay for the road treatment programme over the next two years, ensuring the improvement of Buckinghamshire’s roads maintain a high priority. This is in addition to the £30 million spent on the We're Working On It programme since 2011.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation, said: “I am delighted by the news that once again we are recognising one of Buckinghamshire residents’ top priorities continues to be the condition of the roads. We are listening to this and investing a further, very welcome, minimum investment of £25 million enabling us to continue with this successful programme of works.”

The Member-led approach to deciding which roads will be treated will continue into 2013/14. Each local Member will be asked to nominate a further five roads in their division that they believe are most in need of repair.

This significant increase in spending on road repairs helps address a large backlog of repair work, but even this amount of investment does not enable every road in Buckinghamshire to be treated.

TfB’s Capital Maintenance Team have been working with Members on their schemes for the forthcoming year's programme, and engineers have been busy over the winter months assessing each road individually to decide the best road treatment to be used.

The new programme, to be released in the spring, will be available on the TfB website, and include daily updates on any proposed changes or delays to works. Updates can be followed on Twitter @tfbalerts.

7th March 2013

Drop in for a virtual transport tour

Drop in sessions to demonstrate Transport for Buckinghamshire's (TfB) Service Information Centre are being held at libraries across the county.

The information centre, available through the Buckinghamshire County Council website, is where residents can report faults, find out where roadworks are, and plan journeys.

The library sessions will help people to learn or refresh their knowledge on the many areas of the website and how to make the most of online pages such as 'live traffic cameras', 'where we’re working today', 'fault reporting', and demonstrate how to find out about forthcoming roadworks.

Staff will be on hand to provide helpful advice and TfB's jet patcher vehicle will also drop by for a flying visit before heading off to fill more potholes.

Peter Hardy, Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, said: "These sessions are open to all, everyone is welcome to come and have a look at how the site works and what it can do for you. I would encourage people to drop in if there's one close by."

Dates and locations:

  • Burnham Library - Tuesday 12 March, 2pm to 7pm
  • Buckingham Centre - Tuesday 19 March, 2pm to 7pm
  • Chesham Library - Thursday 21 March, 2pm to 7pm

Sessions are being planned at Beaconsfield, Aylesbury and Hughenden: locations and dates to be announced.

4th March 2013

Be a Better Biker courses celebrate 10 successful years

With spring-like weather forecast, many motorcyclists will be on the roads, and Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) is encouraging them to improve or refresh their skills with a 'Be a Better Biker' course.

The next course starts on Saturday March 23.

The successful training scheme, starting its 10th year, has attracted more than 600 bikers, and since courses began in 2004 there has been a significant drop in biker crashes.

In 2012, four bikers were killed and 41 seriously injured on Buckinghamshire’s roads. This accounted for 21% of those killed and seriously injured on the county's roads during the year, and is a reduction of 47% since the Be a Better Biker campaign started in 2004.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, said: “There is an overwhelming demand for places on these courses, which is testament to its value to our county's bikers. I am proud of the work our Casualty Reduction team has done and I would encourage any motorcyclist to take advantage of the course and improve their skills - it might save your life."

As part of the 'Be a Better Biker' assessment day, riders are taken out on roads that have claimed motorcycle casualties. Their skills are analysed by highly trained assessors and pointers given on how they can improve to become safer riders.

The campaign also promotes the benefits of post-test training, to ensure that a biker’s riding capabilities best match those of their machine, as well as making biking even more enjoyable.

The first assessment day is on Saturday March 23 in Princes Risborough and courses run through till October at various venues across the county. The assessment day costs the biker a discounted rate of £50, and TfB covers the rest of the cost of the day.

Feedback from bikers on previous courses said it was “excellent value for money” and “a scheme everyone should be made to take part in”.

In December 2011 the 'Be a Better Biker' initiative was awarded a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for its outstanding contribution to road safety and has also been successful in becoming runner up in two national awards in previous years, The National Transport Awards and the Highways Excellence Awards.

For further details about the assessment days or to book a place please visit: www.beabetterbiker.co.uk

1st March 2013

New bus is the 1 to catch

Two bus companies operating over the same route have have signed an agreement with Transport for Buckinghamshire to combine their services into one between High Wycombe and Chesham.

Transport for Buckinghamshire acted as broker for the agreement between Arriva and Carousel Buses after seeing the need for a co-ordinated bus service in the busy corridor.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Transport and Planning, said: ‘I'm pleased that as a result of listening to our residents we have been able to work with our providers to enable a more streamlined service. I hope that as a result of this, all passengers will reap the benefits of the improvements.’

The two companies run services 4 and 62 along the same route, but now have agreed to co-ordinate these into one new service called route 1, starting on April 14. Route 1 will run every 15 minutes, have dedicated buses and shared day return tickets. It will serve High Wycombe, Hazlemere, Holmer Green, Amersham and Chesham, alternating between Pond Park and Hill Top Estates in Chesham.

The agreement was signed at County Hall, Aylesbury, by Sean Rooney, Senior Manager at Transport for Buckinghamshire, Philip Kirk, Carousel Managing Director, and Paul Adcock, Regional Director for Arriva the Shires.

TfB became involved through its commitment to encourage and promote bus usage, which helps the environment by reducing congestion.

27th February 2013

We're Working On It: A40 London Road, High Wycombe

Highway maintenance work will be carried out in London Road, High Wycombe, as part of the ‘We’re Working On It’ programme by Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB).

The work, scheduled to start on Monday March 4, is being done to improve the condition of the road and prolong its life, and TfB aims to finish by Easter weekend.

The work, to include refreshing the bus lane markings and some signage, will be done in sections:

  • Rayners Avenue to Knaves Beech Way, High Wycombe
  • Micklefield Road to Hammersley Lane, High Wycombe
  • Hatters Lane to Micklefield Road, High Wycombe
  • Gordon Road to Hatters Lane, Loudwater
  • A4155/A404 Westhorpe Interchange: the road treatment works here are scheduled to take place throughout March.

Each of these sections of the A40 London Road will be worked on separately at night and completed, allowing that section of road to be re-opened before moving on to the next site.

The road will be closed betwen 7pm and 6am on weekday nights and information signs will be put up before work starts on each section, giving the actual dates and durations.

Work of this nature dependent on the weather and is subject to disruption due to inclement weather. If the works are delayed, the advance notice signs at either end of the site will be updated to reflect any change in dates.

Work will be done at night to minimise large scale disruption during the day. Working at night is also more cost effective as more work can be done during a shorter time period.

To minimise the impact on residents TfB will endeavour to keep noise levels on the site as low as reasonably possible at all times. However, due to the nature of these works, noisy activities may occur at times throughout the period and TfB apologises in advance for this.

TfB and its contractors endeavour to ensure that plant vehicles used at night are fitted with an innovative piece of noise-reduction equipment. By using a broadband ‘white noise’ sound wave to indicate when a vehicle is reversing, the system reduces disturbance to residents or others nearby.

There will be a signed diversion route and every effort will be made to maintain access for residents, although there may be some delay as the resurfacing works pass a particular property, and TfB apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.

Owing to the location of the works, the diversion route is unfortunately quite considerable, says TfB. This is because the Road Traffic Act states that roads used for diversion routes must be capable of accommodating all the traffic being diverted. So the official signed diversion route should be an 'A' road for an 'A' road wherever possible.

Further information about this work can be found on TfB's Service Information Centre at http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/transport

26th February 2013

Bridge strengthening at Chalfont St Peter

Strengthening work on the bridge over the River Misbourne in Chalfont St Peter High Street is planned by Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) from Monday March 11 for up to 12 weeks.

Temporary propping, installed in 2009, will be removed and the concrete bridge deck will be reconstructed, and the existing concrete abutments will be used to support the new reinforced deck. Work will include waterproofing, kerbing, surfacing, pedestrian railings and street bollards.

The bridge will be closed to vehicles while the work is carried out so that the work can be done safely, and the High Street will be closed to through traffic between the A413 Greyhound Roundabout and the mini roundabout junction with Market Place.

Temporary traffic diversions will guide vehicles to alternative routes while the road is closed, although vehicular access for residents and businesses will continue to the limits of the site, but not across the bridge. Pedestrian access will be maintained while work goes on.

Temporary signage, including “BUSINESSES OPEN AS USUAL” signs, will direct traffic around the closure via Lower Road, Kingsway, and the A413.

To minimise the effects TfB has considered valuable feedback from local councillors and consulted with the parking enforcement team. To improve traffic flow, increased patrols will operate in the area during the works to discourage illegal parking in High Street, Market Place and some of Lower Road.

Every effort will be made to carry out the works with minimum disturbance and TfB apologises for any inconvenience that may be caused.

Enquiries about the works may be made to the TfB Contact Centre on 0845 230 2882.

300 + see options for signal controlled Gerrards Cross junctions

More than 300 residents attended two exhibitions last week to see a range of possible options for changes to a set of signal controlled junctions in Packhorse Road, Gerrards Cross.

Hosted by Transport for Buckinghamshire at Gerrards Cross Memorial Centre, the events gave local people the opportunity to discuss their concerns about the junctions and give feedback about the four options on display.

Possible changes include two options for junctions with traffic lights, and two without.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation, attended both events and said: 'I am pleased to have had such a good turnout to these events with lots of positive comments and interest in some of the options.

'The county council does not have a preferred option at this stage. All the options are feasible but I await the report letting me know what the general public feeling is. We will then start the process of seeking funding to take a new scheme forward.'

Residents can now take part in an online consultation, which runs until Monday 8 April. The preferences expressed online, along with all the comments raised at the exhibitions, will be collated into a report to be presented to Mr Hardy. The outcome will be published towards the end of May 2013.

To take part please visit www.buckscc.gov.uk/haveyoursay

22nd February 2013

New late-night bus journeys are just the ticket

Transport for Buckinghamshire has joined Arriva Buses and Aylesbury Waterside Theatre to celebrate an extended service with half price theatre tickets.

From this week (w/b 24 February), the last Friday and Saturday evening journeys on Line 280 between Aylesbury and Oxford, will leave Aylesbury at 11.55pm and Oxford at 2.15am.

The later buses, which also serve Stone, Haddenham and Thame, provide an extended travel choice for weekend nights out to the theatre, bars or clubs in Oxford and Aylesbury.

A 50% discount on selected tickets for Goodnight Mister Tom on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 March will be available to Line 280 passengers who quote a special code on posters displayed on the bus when booking tickets. And one lucky couple could also win a free night out.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Transport and Planning, said: "This service has already been a huge success with on average over 17,000 passenger journeys per week, and it's great news that Arriva are extending the evening service further to make this even more attractive to passengers."

Paul Adcock, Regional Director for Arriva Buses said: "Line 280 is a very important service that provides a great link from Aylesbury through Thame and into Oxford. These additional journeys and improvements to the timetable meet the demands of our current customers and offer a more attractive service to potential users, especially those who want a great night out without the hassle of driving and parking."

19th February 2013

Coaching Buckinghamshire’s drivers of the future

Driving Instructors from Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire were invited by the Road Safety Team at Transport for Buckinghamshire to attend one of the popular ‘Coaching for Driving Instructors’ courses.

Buckinghamshire has hosted a number of successful ‘Coaching for Driving Instructors’ courses in recent years and more than 100 Approved Driving Instructors have attended since they were first run in 2010.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, said: “We believe in supporting Driving Instructors by giving them the relevant expertise to help raise standards of overall driving, which in turn benefits all residents of Buckinghamshire. From the feedback we receive Instructors tell us these courses are beneficial and represent value for money.”

The course has a strong focus on the participant developing practical coaching skills, as well as a theoretical understanding of coaching. It aims to raise awareness of the latest research and consider how Instructors can deliver it on road in a practical setting.

Coaching can help to address the behavioural issues people face when learning to drive by looking at the fundamental beliefs and emotions that trigger a driver's behaviour. If Instructors can help drivers to learn these skills at the beginning of their driving career then the effect may be far more likely to last beyond the driving test.

Feedback from the attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with Instructors commenting that the course was something that they could apply instantly following the course. Driving Instruction can be quite an isolated job, and many instructors highlighted that the course was a good opportunity to meet up and discuss issues that affect them all.

The courses are delivered by Ian Edwards from e driving solutions and supported by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service who provide venues at Fire Stations throughout Buckinghamshire.

13th February 2013

Proposal for change to junction at Gerrards Cross

An exhibition to show proposals for changes to the Packhorse Road junction in Gerrards Cross will take place next week.

There have been calls for changes at the junction, which was designed and built as part of the Tesco store development. Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) has monitored the junction and changed the timing traffic light phases to improve the traffic flow. These changes have already helped reduce queues for motorists.

An independent review of the junction, commissioned by TfB, to identify improvements for traffic and pedestrians, was completed at the end of 2012 and proposed changes have been considered by Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport.

Mr Hardy said he had listened to the concerns of local people and worked closely with TfB engineering and transport planning colleagues to identify some alternative solutions.

'We have looked at a number of proposed changes to this junction and reviewed examples of different options used across the country,' said Mr Hardy. We have listened to the views of all users of the junction when putting these proposals forward for consultation, and have tried to accommodate everyone's views where viable.

'Unfortunately all the possible options are costly to implement and it will depend on available budget in order to make any major changes in the area.'

Mr Hardy said there would be opportunity for feedback at the exhibition and he hoped agreement could be reached on a scheme that would satisfy all interested parties.

The exhibition takes place at Gerrards Cross Memorial Centre, East Common, on Tuesday 19 February in the Colston Hall, from 2pm to 6.30pm; and on Saturday 23 February in the Garden Room from 10am to 1pm.

Read the full report and Have Your Say:
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/sites/bcc/about_your_council/Have_your_say.page

 

11th February 2013

Winter driving workshops for businesses

Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) is now offering winter driving workshops to businesses across the county.

The courses are run within businesses, presented by a former police officer with extensive experience of driving in all weathers and on motorcyles. Helpful tips and advice are provided, including what to do in weather conditions such as snow, ice, fog and flood water. The presentation also covers journey planning and distractions as well as discussing some of the technological features found in modern vehicles and how to apply them correctly.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, said: "The workshops are a great chance to prepare for winter road conditions. I myself attended one last winter and found it extremely informative and very useful indeed."

With winter weather still making driving hazardous, many Buckinghamshire County Council front line staff have continued to take to the roads to ensure the needs of vulnerable service users are met. A group of homecarers took advantage of TfB's winter driving workshops to be reminded of what to do if they find themselves in challenging driving conditions and what preparations they can make to ensure their safety.

These courses are found to be of great benefit to all staff, increasing their knowledge and confidence when driving in the winter. Participants are also each given the latest copy of the Highway Code and a high visibility jacket to store in their vehicle in case of emergency.

The workshops are available to local businesses and groups to host in their own premises and cost just £5 per person for a minimum of 20 people.

For further details or to book a workshop email tfb@buckscc.gov.uk or telephone 0845 230 2882 and ask for details of the Road Safety Team's winter driving workshops.

5th February 2013

Tackling the effects of winter

The gritting teams who kept Buckinghamshire's traffic moving on main routes during the recent snow, are now out repairing potholes.

Ten Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) gangs are covering over 2,000 miles (3,500 km) of the county's roads, systematically repairing damage caused by the severe weather, in response to residents' calls and inspectors' reports.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, has asked residents to be understanding while TfB works hard to repair the winter damage.

Meanwhile, fresh from last year's county-wide resurfacing programme, TfB is also preparing for a new programme to resurface roads, the budget for which will be considered by full council in February.

Mr Hardy said: 'Maintaining our roads is one of our top priorities. Our £30 million road resurfacing programme has just finished during which we resurfaced nearly 300 roads. Of course a lot more needs to be done if we're to meet the expectations of our residents and so Council will be asked to approve a new £25 million programme to start this Spring.'

Pothole factfile

A pothole is where the surface of the road has been eroded and a hollow has formed. After a cold spell, the roads will be in a worse state as potholes are created in four steps:

  • As roads age they become more porous, having been worn down by traffic. This allows rainwater to seep into the surface.
  • Cold winter weather freezes this water, turning it to ice and therefore expanding and pushing the tarmac up and out.
  • Gaps are created in the tarmac when the ice thaws and turns back into water.
  • These gaps get bigger with each ‘freezethaw’ cycle which weakens the road.
  • The gaps then cave in when traffic travels over the road, causing a pothole.

Potholes requiring urgent attention should be reported by phone to our contact centre so that they can be inspected as soon as possible – 0845 230 2882. Inspectors will assess the potholes and determine the appropriate response. This will vary, depending on criteria, from a two hour response through to a 28 day repair.

Repair

Sometimes it will be necessary to make a temporary repair to make the road safe, however where possible a permanent repair will be made.

A permanent repair involves cutting out the area around the pothole to make a uniform shape with no jagged edges – usually rectangular.

This hole is then cleaned out and coated with a layer of binder to act as an adhesive. The hole is filled with hot road surfacing material, then raked and compacted. Once this material has cooled, the road can be reopened to traffic.

Transport for Buckinghamshire now uses a Jet Patcher vehicle which is a more efficient way of repairing a number of potholes on the same site. This system blasts material into the pothole at high velocity, following an initial coat of bitumen bonding, which repairs the defect without the need for rollers or loud vibrating tools.

After periods of snow and sub zero temperatures the number of potholes on roads increases due to the freezethaw cycle. TfB will work through these in the same way.

Around 2,000 potholes are repaired each month, and the roads are inspected regularly according to a schedule, so a lot of potholes will be picked up by these inspections and programmed for repair. A substantial amount of money has also been invested in the county wide resurfacing programme so this should mean that the number of potholes should start to decrease.

Alternatives

In some instances the condition of the carriageway may be such that permanent pothole repairs are not possible. In these instances 'plane and patch' treatment or other road surfacing may be the only suitable repair process, if this is the case then this will be programmed in.

Tell TfB!
If you see a pothole that is in need of urgent repair, call the contact centre - 0845 230 2882, otherwise you can report road defects as well as street light and traffic light faults, damaged road signs, drains that require clearing and other highway problems at www.buckscc.gov.uk/telltfb

 

30th January 2013

Stop means Stop campaign launch
School Crossing Patrollers - better known as lollipop patrollers - play a vital role in making the school journey as safe as possible for children and parents.

To highlight their good work and remind motorists and cyclists that they have a legal duty to stop when they are shown the STOP 'lollipop' sign Transport for Buckinghamshire is launching a ‘Stop Means Stop’ campaign on Monday February 4.

Failing to stop when requested can lead to a £1,000 fine, three penalty points and disqualification.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation, said: “This important campaign aims to raise the awareness of the valuable contribution made by School Crossing Patrollers and we also hope to encourage more people to get involved at the sites where we currently have vacancies."

Drivers are advised to allow more time on the daily journey if it takes them past a school, particularly at the beginning or the end of the school day, as they may be requested to STOP by a lollipop patroller, allowing them to cross children safely over the roads.

If you would like to become a lollipop patroller, please call The School Crossing Patrol Supervisors on 01494 586639 or 01296 383432

 

18th January 2013

The Snow Code - be a good neighbour

The snow may have arrived, but that's no reason to stay inside!

The Department for Transport has published guidance about clearing snow outside your property, pathways to your property or public spaces. The guidance says there is no law stopping you from doing this.

Peter Hardy, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, said: "We can all do our bit for our neighbourhood by clearing snow and ice from footpaths and residential roads, so please help your community if you can."

If an accident did happen, it’s highly unlikely that you would be sued as long as you:

  • are careful
  • use common sense to make sure that you don’t make the pavement or pathway clearly more dangerous than before

People using areas affected by snow and ice also have responsibility to be careful themselves.

If you are going to remove snow and ice, here are some tips:

  • start as early as possible - it’s much easier to clear fresh, loose snow compared to compacted ice that has been compressed by people walking on it
  • don’t use hot water - this will melt the snow, but may replace it with black ice, increasing the risk of injury
  • be a good neighbour - some people may be unable to clear snow and ice on paths from their property
  • if shovelling snow, think where you are going to put it so that it doesn’t block people’s paths or drainage channels
  • make a pathway down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on
  • spreading some salt on the area you have cleared will help stop ice forming - table or dishwasher salt will work, but avoid spreading on plants or grass as they may be damaged by it
  • pay particular care and attention to steps and steep gradients
  • use the sun to your advantage - removing the top layer of snow will allow the sun to melt any ice beneath; however you will need to cover any ice with salt to stop it refreezing overnight
  • if there’s no salt available, sand or ash are good alternatives

Salt from salt bins is for use on public roads and footways only, not for use on private property.

More information on the 'Snow Code' can be found on Transport for Buckinghamshire's website - www.buckscc.gov.uk/transport and click on Winter Maintenance.

16th Janurary 2013

ARLA Dairy - Traffic Lights on Tring Road

The next phase of the ARLA Dairy construction will see traffic lights on the Tring Road installed as part of the planning permission granted to ARLA.  These traffic lights will be linked to TfB's intelligent traffic light monitoring system, which allows TfB staff the ability to phase the lights due to traffic levels.

Keep up to date with this exciting project, including site maps of the traffic lights and road.

15th January 2013

Speed campaign throughout January

Speeding drivers are being targeted throughout January by Transport for Buckinghamshire’s Road Safety Team working in partnership with Thames Valley Police and Community Support Officers.

Roadside checks are being carried out and publicity material distributed throughout local communities to highlight the dangers of driving at excessive speed. This complements the Association of Chief Police Officers speed campaign also running in January.

Consultation with local communities has shown that speeding is often a top priority in their neighbourhoods.

Peter Hardy, Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport said, "We are committed to reducing the number of people injured and killed on our roads by targeting those drivers who continue to drive at excess speed. Speed limits are there for a reason, and I would urge drivers to stick to the limit and slow down".

Activities happening during the month long campaign are:

  • Roadside checks across Buckinghamshire with support from the Thames Valley police.
  • Posters from the Government's 'Think' campaign distributed to Parish Councils.
  • Think exhibition display in the Friars Square centre in Aylesbury.Community Speedwatch campaign promoted to local communities with practical demonstrations from the Road Safety Team.

Our Gritters - Factfile

As temperatures continue to fall and remain low, Transport for Buckinghamshire's (TfB) gritters and drivers will be working hard to keep the county's roads safe.

On Wednesday (January 16) from 7pm, a TfB Communications Team member will be out with a gritter. He will be broadcasting live from the gritting route, and you can follow him on Twitter @tfbalerts for facts, updates, videos, and a deeper insight into the life of a gritter driver. You can ask questions by tweeting @tfbalerts from 7pm.

TfB's gritter factfile

In 2011, schools from across the county named Buckinghamshire's fleet of gritters. Now all the gritters can be tracked by name on their routes using TfB's large gritting map.
http://www.transportforbucks.net/Winter-maintenance.aspx

All gritters have GPS (global positioning) trackers installed so that as soon as they start their routes, their progress can be seen online.

When the gritters aren’t out, the Precautionary (also known as Primary or Priority 1) gritting routes can still be seen on the county map for reference. Sometimes you may see some vehicles out on the network during the day time when they are not gritting. This is because some of the gritters have demountable hoppers and can be fitted with other equipment to carry out road repairs and other tasks during the day.

Each gritter is fitted with a salt hopper that can carry 7.8 tonnes (six cubic metres) and three side tanks to hold up to 1,000 litres (about 220 gallons) of brine. TfB now pre-wets the salt, spreading both on the road at the same time, so that is starts to work more quickly and supplies will go further. The 25 gritting routes use around 65 tonnes on one normal run.

TfB treats 40% of the county's total road network - 854 miles (1,375km). Each salting route takes about two and a half hours to complete. Routes are prioritised by assessing factors such as the importance of the road, type of transport that uses it, traffic flows, gradients, bends, collision records, proximity of facilities like hospitals, and accessibility.

Gritters are normally sent out at 7pm when road temperatures are forecast to fall below 1 deg C (one degree). Road salt works by lowering the freezing temperature of surface water to -8 deg C. (minus eight). If the road temperature drops below -8 deg C, the salt and brine mixture ceases to be effective.

Snow ploughs are used only when more than 50mm (two inches) of snow falls. This is because 50mm is the required clearance between the road and the underside of the plough. This means, however, that snow ploughs cannot be used on roads with speed humps or sharp changes in gradient as the plough would ground and damage the road surface. It can be impractical to plough snow on some urban roads and roads with tight bends because ploughs protrude some distance from the front of the vehicles.

Sometimes, in the event of prolonged severe weather, farmers are called on to help with snow ploughing as ploughs can be fitted to some tractors. Famers need to be registered with TfB as they have to meet certain criteria to carry out such work.

If you see a gritter on the road and it’s not spreading salt, don’t worry! It may be that it is on its way to start its route, or has finished its designated route and is on its way back to the depot. Gritters also switch off their salt when stopped at traffic lights or roundabouts to avoid a pile of salt being left in the road.

Follow a gritter on Twitter @tfbalerts.

 

11th January 2013

Handling the weekend weather with the TfB blog

A special winter blog hosted by Transport for Buckinghamshire will keep residents up to date with details of plans for the weekend as a result of the forecast cold weather. The blog will be updated as plans are revised.
Keep up to date with the blog at http://www.transportforbucks.net/Winter-maintenance/Blog.aspx
Keep up to date with daily gritting decisions by following TfB on Twitter @tfbalerts

4th January 2013

Gas Works - A4 Bath Road

The next phase of major gas works will commence on Monday 7th January on the A4, Bath Road at the Berry Hill junction. This work will take 3 weeks to complete and 24 hour temporary traffic lights and additional traffic management will be in place.