Residents have described the simultaneous and ongoing roadworks in their Buckinghamshire town as ‘a complete nightmare’ that hasn’t abated with council intervention.

Kevin Savva, 43, who works at Buckinghamshire New University and moved to Marlow in January of this year, is one of many residents who have become frustrated by the seemingly never-ending roadworks currently in place in multiple areas of the town.

Kevin said he had relocated from Maidenhead because of the heavy traffic on his commute, but now jokes that he has brought it with him over the county border – first having to deal with delays on the A404 while Thames Water works took place over the summer and now having to queue up along the bridge, on Fieldhouse Lane and along Dean Street.

Despite Buckinghamshire Council’s recent pledge to hold utility companies, some of whom had been in breach of their work permits while operating in Marlow, to account, Kevin said he still feels that there is “no concern at all for the people who have to travel along these roads daily”.

“I know they are different projects, but it feels like it’s one thing after another. If you add up all the time people have lost because of these roadworks, you’d have hours and hours.”

His sentiment was shared by residents who voiced their frustrations about the ongoing works in the Positively Marlow Facebook group, with one person accusing Marlow Town Council of being too preoccupied with the Marlow Film Studios proposal to petition the county authority on the town's behalf.

Hilary Martin, Town Clerk at Marlow Town Council, said members were very aware of the impact of ongoing works in the town and were continuing to lobby Buckinghamshire Council “extensively” about the disruption, which she said had contributed to Council Leader Martin Tett’s decision to adopt a ‘zero tolerance’ approach towards companies including Thames Water and Cadent Gas operating outside their permit remits in the town. 

Ms Martin added that the council’s zero-tolerance approach, which involves issuing fines to the companies in breach of their permits, “unfortunately does not seem to be putting (utility companies) off.”

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Peter Martin, Buckinghamshire Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for HS2/East Western Rail, said the authority was working towards building a “constructive relationship” with utility companies through continued communication and seven-day inspections of ongoing works.

He added: “Utility firms have a right to access their networks by digging up the roads to carry out necessary repairs, service connections and improvement works. We have limited powers to refuse works, but proactively look to minimise their impact by considering all possible issues, such as another set of roadworks nearby or an impact on a school or hospital before we agree on a works permit.

“However, the companies have the right to respond to emergency situations, which seems to have been the case in Marlow. These works are necessary and can’t be predicted beforehand to avoid further disruption, which causes delays and issues with traffic flow.”