High Wycombe: Car hits bollards on Desborough Road again

A man believed to be in his 80s was allegedly helped to safety by locals after crashing into some bollard-like structures on Desborough Road in High Wycombe yesterday.

The incident appears to have occurred at around 1.45pm close to Safestore self-storage near Eden Shopping Centre.

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This is not the first time a smash has occurred on Desborough Road, another occurred in November 2020 not long after the bollards were installed.

A workman nearby who declined to be named said the driver was helped into Caffè Nero and given a drink. He claimed no one was harmed in the smash.

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A Nero staff member confirmed the elderly man was brought in to the coffeeshop as he was “in shock”. They said police were with him.

“He came over, he was quite in shock with what was going on,” the Nero staff member said. “We gave him a drink and he sat down for quite a while. The police were with him.

“I said, ‘please sit down and relax’. I hope he is OK.”

The workman added: “It happened at around 1.45pm. It was on Desborough Road about 30 metres from Caffè Nero and heading south.

“I didn’t actually see it happen as I work on the building site opposite the Eden Shopping Centre.

“The driver was around 80 years old and was kindly taken to Caffè Nero and was given a coffee.

“No one was injured in the [incident]. Unfortunately for the male driver, I don’t think he will ever drive again, bless him.”

Similar structures costing £130,000 were installed on Oxford Road in August 2020 replacing decorative planters after they were damaged in a car crash. Then in November that year, at least two similar incidents of cars colliding with the new installations also occurred, one on Desborough Road.

Cabinet member for transport at the time, Cllr Nick Naylor said: “With no issues since the bollards were installed back in August, it’s disappointing, but perhaps just bad luck as well, that two have been damaged in quick succession.”

Cllr Steven Broadbent, current cabinet member for transport: “We are very sorry to hear about this incident. We can’t make any comment on the potential causes or the circumstances around why and how the collision occurred until any investigations have concluded. We will of course follow up on any issues raised with the location as a result of this collision.”