First section of Aylesbury’s new orbital link road opens to drivers
The South-East Aylesbury Link Road joins with the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road to improve transport around Aylesbury
The first part of Aylesbury’s new orbital link road has officially opened, marking a significant step in improving transport connections in the area.
The South-East Aylesbury Link Road (SEALR) has now joined with the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road (SMRR), which was constructed by HS2, creating part of a planned network to ease congestion and improve traffic flow around the town.
Buckinghamshire Council led the SEALR project, securing £147.9m in funding and working alongside partners such as HS2, the Department for Transport (DfT), Homes England, developers, and landowners. The current section forms part of a 1.1-mile dual carriageway and includes three new roundabouts, including the newly constructed Pearce roundabout where the SEALR and SMRR meet.
Work continues on the South-East Aylesbury Link Road
Construction of a bridge over the railway line to London is now underway. Once the project is completed, the orbital link road will offer Aylesbury an alternative route to bypass the town centre, reducing traffic congestion and providing new cycling and walking paths.
Steven Broadbent, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, hailed the milestone, saying: “This is an exciting day for Buckinghamshire and marks a key stage in our ambition to enhance the transport infrastructure in and around Aylesbury. This is one of the biggest road improvements the council has made in a generation and demonstrates our commitment to improving our highways network, creating better traffic flow and supporting future development.
“This has been and continues to be, a hugely complex project and I would like to thank everyone involved for their collaboration and hard work in continuing to help us to deliver this vision. While the council has invested significant funds into this important project, the vast majority of the funding has been sourced externally. We have accessed a number of external funding streams and made use of existing sources, including developer-generated Section 106 funding, to minimise the impact on budgets.”
Local leaders and organisations celebrate the opening
Council Chairman Sarfaraz Khan Raja, Council Leader Steven Broadbent, and representatives from HS2, DfT, and Homes England attended the opening ceremony with local MPs Greg Smith and Laura Kyrke-Smith.
Paul Ahdal, Head of Infrastructure Grants Project Management at Homes England, commented: “This latest milestone in the delivery of Aylesbury’s new orbital link road is an excellent example of how the Housing Infrastructure Fund is enabling the delivery of key projects that help create thriving places people can be proud of. It’s great to see this project moving forward, and we look forward to continuing to support Buckinghamshire Council in achieving their ambitions.”
Bill Price, HS2 Ltd Project Client, also welcomed the progress, stating: “The delivery of the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road was one of the commitments we made during the design stage of the project and it’s great to see it open to the public. Together with the next stages of the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, it will dramatically improve journeys around the south of Aylesbury and I’d like to thank everyone who’s worked so hard to get it built.”
The South-East Aylesbury Link Road is part of Buckinghamshire Council’s vision of developing a new Orbital Link Road around Aylesbury to support local growth and ease traffic flow across the region.