Drivers faced longer commutes than normal this morning as road closures in Old Amersham clashed with nearby Affinity Water works.

Four roads in Old Amersham were closed at midnight on Wednesday, September 18, for the town's historic charter fair – a two-day event which dates back to 1200, when King John presented Geoffrey Fitz Piers, then Earl of Essex, with a charter granting him the right to hold an annual fair in the area.

The popular and historic celebration is taking place on Old Amersham High Street and The Broadway today and tomorrow, September 19 and 20, with its modern iteration revolving around a sprawling fun-fair with free entry and food and drink stalls.

While the charter fair's closure of the High Street, The Broadway, Church Street and Market Square can be of little surprise considering its long history, drivers navigating alternative routes around the town were faced with added difficulty today, Thursday, September 19, thanks to a coinciding Affinity Water roadworks project closing Chesham Road in Amersham on the Hill.

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The Affinity Water works permit will expire at 6am on Friday morning, 24 hours before the charter fair closures lose effect, but the consequence of five roads being off-limits did make for an unduly chaotic rush hour on Thursday, with traffic backing up in all directions. 

While tomorrow is sure to be more streamlined, locals have been warned that parking on the roads closed for the charter fair before Saturday morning is prohibited, with any vehicles breaking the ban at risk of being towed. 

The fair, which claims to be the biggest of its kind in the area, is open to all from 2pm to 11:30pm on Thursday and Friday this week.