Chesham: St Mary's Way underpass remains closed due to flood

St Mary’s Way underpass in Chesham remains closed for pedestrians despite earlier assurance from Buckinghamshire Council to have it fixed in time for the school summer holidays. 

The council responded to criticism in July after the underpass next to Lowndes Park had been closed for months already, saying engineers were working to clear the flooding. 

Chesham resident Dorothy Geller told the Free Press in July she feared children and elderly could be hurt on the busy road without the “vital piece of infrastructure.”

Without the underpass, pedestrians have to cross the busy A416 roundabout (Image: Google Street View)

The council responded to St Mary’s ward councillor Wilford Augustus’s letter on July 13, saying the subway was undergoing maintenance and “if all goes to plan with the remedial works, the underpass will be re-opened.”

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Councillor Augustus said he hasn't heard anything from the council since. 

However, two months on and with the school term starting, the underpass remains closed.

Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for transport Steven Broadbent said: “Unfortunately despite many attempts by the council to prevent the persistent flooding at this location, including clearing pumps in the local area, the flooding has continued and it simply isn’t safe to allow members of the public to use the underpass so it remains closed.

 “We are now surveying the wider area and will carry out further jetting works on the roads above to clear any blockages that may be causing this issue.

 “While it is shut, members of the public should use the available crossings above ground to cross the road safely at this location.”