Blogs Highways Highlight

Works restarted on Monday 6 January as planned, after the Christmas and New Year break. We have begun removing the old paving materials and laying the new natural stone slabs. Where possible we are also reclaiming the old yorkstone paving materials to put into storage so they can be reused elsewhere in the town centre.

Following Eden removing its scaffolding along White Hart Street, we have started work on the remaining granite kerbing along the southern side of White Hart Street adjacent to Chaiiwala and Lloyds Bank.

Patches of temporary surfacing will continue to be used throughout to ensure the site remains safe for all users. This will be removed before the final carriageway and footway works are completed.

We will be focusing on the footway surfacing over the next few weeks. One team working on a small part of Bull Lane outside Chaiiwala, the other working in the Guild Hall area up to the E7 service yard. This is to help deliver the works as quickly as possible and minimise disruption on nearby businesses.

Team 1 – Outside Guild Hall

• Traffic management will remain in place with screening and noise cancelling barriers
• The old carriageway section from the E7 service yard towards the Guild Hall will be closed to vehicles
• The existing BT phone boxes and tree will remain in place temporarily
• The Rotary Club clock will be relocated approximately 7 metres closer towards the Guild Hall
• Access along the footway on the TUI/Salvation Army side will remain open for pedestrians to use
• Paving outside entrances will be completed outside business operating hours so not to disrupt access
• We are also collaborating with the lighting team to help safely remove the Christmas lighting in place

Team 2 – Bull Lane area

• A small section of footway surfacing between Bull Lane Service Yard and Chaiiwala will be completed as there are no entrances to businesses
• The footway will be closed to pedestrians in this location with traffic management barriers in place whilst we carry out the works
• Once this section is completed, both teams will then work in the Guild Hall area

As part of the ongoing regeneration on White Hart Street, we plan to undertake landscaping improvements along this street.

There is a consultation on the proposed tree removal alowing you to have your say, which closes Friday 31 January 2025.

These improvements will involve removing three trees currently in the area: two outside Café Roberto and one outside TSB Bank/Guild Hall. We plan to install three street trees outside Café Roberto, along with two areas of small trees/large shrubs in above-ground planters as part of the planned works.

We are also considering planting additional trees as part of the Bucks Tree Planting programme.

The construction works do not alter the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) currently in place around White Hart Street (Pedestrian Zone, No Loading, No Waiting At Any Time). This means no vehicles are allowed to park in the area including disabled/blue badge users without dispensation from Parking Services.

To help facilitate the construction works and manage access we will continue to implement additional traffic management restrictions and enforcement to deter parking.

The car parking suspension on Frogmoor is also in place from Monday 6 January 2025 until completion of the works.

Unfortunately, all road works will generate a level of noise during construction. The most impactful works for White Hart Street will be the removal of the existing carriageway surfacing due to its construction. We are advised by Environmental Health to avoid such activities during the evening and early hours due to the wider environmental impacts. As a guide noisy works will be planned during the following hours.

• Monday to Friday - from 8am until 6pm
• Saturday - from 8am until 1pm

Whilst on site we will continue to use noise barriers to help suppress noise and visual impacts to nearby properties and businesses.

The next two closures are planned for March 2025, covering the rest of the White Hart Street area: Travelodge to Queens Square (10 March - 17 March) and Church Street to Queens Square (24 March - 31 March)

We will send out arrangements for those closures in due course.

If you wish to be added to the regular progress bulletin, please email us with the subject line ‘WHS bulletin request’.

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