February 16, 2001 9:37: JUST as drivers thought it could not get worse, the traffic lights at Handy Cross roundabout failed to work at rush hour on Wednesday morning.
Drivers have had to put up with roadworks at junction four of the M40 since January 30 and on Wednesday had to cope with large tailbacks when the traffic lights failed at around 7.15am.
Queues of rush-hour traffic quickly formed on the motorway as well as tailbacks towards Marlow and High Wycombe on the A404.
PC Steve Bastin, of Amersham traffic unit, said gridlock did not occur despite the tailbacks. He added: "It wasn't terrible, but it was much slower than normal."
A spokesman for the Highways Agency said engineers are on site 24 hours a day and were on to the problem immediately. The traffic lights were fixed at 9.30am.
The spokesman added that the lights are old and the system will be changed once the roadworks are finished in mid-March.
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