St Mary’s Way underpass in Chesham reopens after long-term closure
Buckinghamshire Council has confirmed that the St Mary’s Way underpass in Chesham has fully reopened, following extensive investigation, repair and cleaning works to resolve long-standing flooding issues.
The underpass had been closed for a prolonged period due to persistent standing water, caused by complex drainage problems that required detailed investigation before a permanent solution could be put in place.
Councillor Thomas Broom, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said the reopening marked the culmination of years of work to identify and fix the root cause of the flooding.
“I’m very pleased to report that following extensive and long-term investigative and repair works, we have now completely cleared this underpass of water and fully reopened it.
This has been a long-standing and complex problem to solve, requiring years of work to fully investigate and permanently remedy the cause of the flooding. Through a phased scheme, we’ve fixed and improved the drainage system so that the underpass can remain open going forward.”
Specialist drainage contractors were brought in to empty standing water, install improvements to prevent future flooding, and carry out a deep clean of the site. Final repairs, including handrails, were completed before the underpass was safely reopened for public use.
Councillor Broom added:
“We know this closure has been frustrating for residents, and we thank them for their patience. Our persistence means this important pedestrian route is now fully operational once again.”4
