Major milestone reached as new South-East Aylesbury Link Road joins with Stoke Mandeville Relief Road

Buckinghamshire Council has led on the delivery of the overall complex SEALR project, securing £147.9m funding and co-ordinating with additional partners, the Department for Transport (DfT), Homes England, developers and landowners. The SEALR is being built in two sections, forming 1.1 miles of new future-proof dual carriageway, including three new roundabout junctions in total. The SMRR has been constructed and funded by HS2 and has now been joined with the SEALR at the newly constructed Pearce roundabout.

A new bridge across the railway line to London is currently under construction and forms the next key stage of work.

Steven Broadbent, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council said: “This is an exciting day for Buckinghamshire and marks a key stage in our ambition to enhance the transport infrastructure in and around Aylesbury. This is one of the biggest road improvements the council has made in a generation and demonstrates our commitment to improving our highways network, creating better traffic flow and supporting future development.”

Steven added: “This has been and continues to be, a hugely complex project and I would like to thank everyone involved for their collaboration and hard work in continuing to help us to deliver this vision. While the council has invested significant funds into this important project, the vast majority of the funding has been sourced externally. We have accessed a number of external funding streams and made use of existing sources, including developer-generated Section 106 funding, to minimise the impact on budgets.”

Buckinghamshire Council Chairman, Safaraz Khan Raja, was joined by Council Leader Steven Broadbent and representatives from partner organisations including HS2, the Department for Transport (DfT), and Homes England, ahead of the opening of the road. They also welcomed local MPs, Greg Smith and Laura Kyrke-Smith as well as representatives from contractors Galliford Try and EKFB, along with members of Stoke Mandeville and Ellesborough Parish Councils.

Homes England provided funding for the road through the Housing Infrastructure Fund. Paul Ahdal, Head of Infrastructure Grants Project Management said: “This latest milestone in the delivery of Aylesbury’s new orbital link road is an excellent example of how the Housing Infrastructure Fund is enabling the delivery of key projects that help create thriving places people can be proud of.

“It's great to see this project moving forward, and we look forward to continuing to support Buckinghamshire Council in achieving their ambitions."

HS2 Ltd Project Client, Bill Price, said: “The delivery of the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road was one of the commitments we made during the design stage of the project and it’s great to see it open to the public. Together with the next stages of the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, it will dramatically improve journeys around the south of Aylesbury and I’d like to thank everyone who’s worked so hard to get it built.”

Once complete, the South-East Aylesbury Link Road will form a crucial part of a new Orbital Link Road around Aylesbury providing a new route around the town, helping to ease congestion through the town centre and delivering new cycling and walking routes.

Work continues on this key project, for more information about the delivery of SEALR visit: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/road-projects/view-road-projects-in-development/new-road-south-east-aylesbury-link-road-sealr/

We also encourage people to continue to check their route before travelling: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/campaign/check-before-you-travel/