February 28, 2001 10:56: HIGH Wycombe roads were heavily congested again this morning due to the traffic lights at Handy Cross roundabout failing for the second time in a week.

Juncion four of the M40 was gridlocked and tailbacks on the motorway stretched as far as Beaconsfield and Stokenchurch.

Traffic jams spread throughout High Wycombe and as far as Marlow as a result.

Steve Bastin, of Amersham Traffic, said the lights had failed yesterday morning but the problem had sorted itself out. But today, gridlock took place so police had to go out to try and sort out the problem.

PC Bastin said he had received a number of irate phone calls but police were doing their best to sort out the problem.

He said: "We know from experience that when gridlock occurs it takes a while to sort out."

The traffic lights at Handy Cross have failed on a number of occasions recently.

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said that the lights are old and the system will be changed once the roadworks are finished in mid-March.

By.Joe Slade