HS2 cancellation funds should go to Aylesbury link road projects, MP says

Aylesbury’s MP believes money saved from scrapping the northern part of the HS2 project should go towards Bucks link roads.

Speaking in Parliament earlier this week, Rob Butler urged the Government to help fund the South East Aylesbury Link Road and the Eastern Link Road.

Both traffic easing schemes are on a list of 80 projects that could receive central funding following the cancellation of HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester.

Mr Butler said: “My Aylesbury constituency is perpetually and permanently blighted by the construction of Phase One of HS2. From Fairford Leys to Walton Court, Stoke Mandeville to Wendover, construction is causing untold misery for residents with noise, traffic and daily disruption to people’s everyday lives. But at last, in October, we were given a glimmer of hope that we would finally receive some tangible benefits from HS2 by the cancellation of Phase 2.

“The two road projects are absolutely critical to the future success of the town. They will ease congestion, they will reduce air pollution, and they will help spur economic prosperity: all things that we can all agree good for our communities. They are essential to support the huge amount of house building that we’ve already seen in and around Aylesbury and the thousands more houses that are going to be constructed in the coming years.

“My town is absolutely gridlocked because of this white elephant of a project. We desperately need our share of the money that is being saved by the decision to cancel phase 2A of HS2.

“The people of Aylesbury deserve absolutely nothing less."

Work on the first phase of the South East Aylesbury Link Road began last year, with the latest council updates saying work on phase two will begin in early 2024. The first phase saw construction of the Southern Link Road through the Hampden Fields development, construction of two new roundabouts, and a 1.2km dual carriageway. Delays on getting the project finished have been linked to funding issues, it was authorised to start in 2016.

The Eastern Link Road South will connect with the Eastern Link Road North and the A41 Aston Clinton Road. However funding concerns surrounding the project were raised at a recent Bucks Council meeting.