RE: Resurfacing work in Oakridge Road, High Wycombe. Council workmen had to lay asphalt around parked cars, leaving a series of bare patches.

I READ with interest the article in last week’s BFP in relation to the above. I support all the residents of Oakridge Road, the vast majority who I believe moved their vehicles on time so that the surfacing works could be effectively carried out.

The most cost effective and efficient manner of carrying out any such road works is to have a clear road without cars so that works can be completed in one go. To call the situation chaotic is a dis-service to the residents as they have said in the blogs and to BCC as well. It understates the tremendous amount of effort required by everyone when carrying out such works.

As an example, when another road was surfaced a few years ago, I personally along with a colleague went door to door knocking and knocked on every single door on the street, dropped leaflets, informed local organisations, arranged for announcements at the local radio station and local institutions. BCC also knocked on doors and left road signs for the cars to be moved but, on the day of surfacing, a few still did not move their cars, thereby delaying the works and disrupting future road works programme.

I recently learnt whilst carrying out a consultation for a permit scheme along Oakridge Road that some of the cars parked on Oakridge Road didn’t even belong to the residents of Oakridge Road. It is therefore unfair to blanket blame residents of Oakridge Road and BCC for such disruptions.

The following roads, and they are by no means short roads, have in the past year been successfully surfaced without any of the above problems. They were requested by me and are the full lengths of Rutland Avenue, Chiltern Avenue, Whitelands Road and the adjoining Kitchener Road.

I can assure residents that the works will be completed and yellow lines will be repainted. Road works are under a maintenance contract and are repaired if they fall in a state of disrepair within a given time.

BCC has initiated a big programme of road repairs after many years of underfunding and poor settlement. These will take time to clear. For the residents of Oakridge Road all is not chaotic as they have asked for the traffic lights to be better maintained and I can confirm there is preliminary agreement for the traffic lights to be completely replaced.

Cllr Zahir Mohammed, Bucks County Councillor, Downley, Disraeli, Oakridge & Castlefield Division