ePetition details
Having taken a review of residents’ concerns Great
Kingshill Residents’ Association petition for a range of
traffic calming and parking measures to be increased across the
villages of Cryers Hill and Great Kingshill.
The petition addresses the residents’ concerns over speeding
through the villages and parking issues especially at Great
Kingshill Combined School at the pupil drop off and collection
times. Total pupils 422
It should be noted that by the GKRA constitution it represents all
residents not just ‘paid up’ members.
Great Kingshill and Cryers Hill Villages - Profile
A total population of 2,000 approx., are adjacent rural villages located to the north of High Wycombe that are bisected by the A4128. Apart for the 50 MPH speed limit on the A4128 on Cryers Hill and Spurlands End Roads as they approach the villages all other internal roads are 30 MPH.
Evidence of Residents’ Concerns
Examples of residents’ concerns not just on the A4128 but also on other ‘main’ roads e.g. Copes Lane. Including surveys undertaken by both Hughenden Parish Council and GKRA, a traffic survey undertaken in Great Kingshill in 2020 at residents’ request; petition to improve parking on the Cryers Hill Layby. A village meeting on speeding in December 2024, which resulted in this petition, was well attended.
Calming Measures Introduced
A variety of measures are already in place but speeding continues to be experienced:
• Community Speed watch – Regular sessions, operating
for over 10 years including purchasing own radar gun to facilitate
greater resident involvement.
• White Gates and Speed Watch signage – sited at both
main village entrances.
• MVS Signs – 4
• Camera repeater signs
• Travel Planning - repeated efforts by the school to moderate
parents’ parking behaviors, ‘soft’ start
etc.
• Road signage – 30 MPH roundels and Slow signs are on
various road surfaces. Outside the school there are road
markings.
Evidence of speeding
Much evidence supports that speeding does occur – Mean Average speeds from the Ordinance Survey, regular Speed Watch sessions and TVP speeding checks.
Speed Watch, July 2024 – Missenden Road, I hour – 50 speeders mostly 40 to 50 MPH.
Speeding at Great Kingshill school at the time of parents delivering and collecting pupils is not a concern as speeding is very restricted due to the heavy congestion.
The table below from August 2024 is an illustration of the information available.
Missenden Road, over 2,400 vehicles were speeding, half of these were in excess of 35 mph through what is the heart of the village, by a children’s playground, pedestrian crossing.
Some residents have to exit their drives straight onto ‘narrow’ roads such as on Copes Road.
One accident ‘black spot’, the four-way junction of Copes Road with Cockpit Road and Heath End Road. Sited on a bend in Copes Road such that vehicles exiting Cockpit Road cannot clearly see speeding vehicles descending Copes Road from their right. Out of 1,514 vehicles per day, 44% were recorded as speeding.
Fortunately, the vast majority of these incidents do not involve injury; often the police are not called. As a result, the incidents are not recorded. TVP road safety officer and the Bucks Highways Local Area Technician have periodically visited the site.
Evidence of Inappropriate Parking
Parking at the School during parents dropping off and collecting pupils is a long-standing concern. The Community Board previously funded a project regarding protecting spaces on a lay by to be available to parents.
Parents are parking on grass verges and footpaths on A4128 Cryers Hill and side roads - Four Ashes Road and Cryers Hill Road causing much inconvenience to residents and through traffic. Parents will even frequently park at the road junctions restricting visibility for both drivers and pedestrians.
Plastic bollards to restrict parking on verges are regularly damaged by cars using the verges.
The School is the only one in Bucks to have entry/exit directly onto an A road.
The Head Mistress is on record of saying, ‘The parking and
the ability to cross the road from the Four Ashes direction are the
main issues for us’.
The other major parking concern is New Road, Great Kingshill where parking on both sides of the narrow road greatly restricts access for residents, emergency vehicles and those looking to exit onto Missenden Road etc.
Measures Requested in the e-petition
GKRA have consulted Buckinghamshire Highways and Councillors. GKRA acknowledge the restrictions on the measures that can be introduced on A roads in Bucks.
GKRA are petitioning the Community Board to introduce the following measures:
1. Introduce yellow surrounds to the first 30 MPH signs entering
the villages and on the 30 MPH repeater signs at the white village
gates.
2. Dragons Teeth painted on Cryers Hill approaching the school by
the 30 MPH speed limit sign.
3. Dragons Teeth on Copes Road entering from Spurlands End Rd where
the 30 MPH limit is just in force.
4. Review the position of the central white lines on Cockpit Rd by
Hatches Farm and install white lines at the sides at the narrow
point in the road.
5. Review 30 MPH roundels in the village to re-evaluate if they are
in the correct position in view of modern traffic flows.
6. Part of the Roundel review place 30 MPH roundels in both
directions on the long stretch between Missenden Road and Stag
Lane. Copes Road down the downhill stretch before the slow signs as
a reminder to traffic which naturally speed up going downhill.
Residents have to exit their driveways straight onto the
road.
7. A parking survey to be undertaken regarding the situation being
experienced in Cryers Hill Village and New Road in Great
Kingshill.
For example yellow lines at all the junctions opposite the School
to improve visibility for both drivers and pedestrians
In view of the cost, we would propose that the survey is undertaken
across the whole of Hughenden Parish to include Walters Ash etc.
where parking is a known concern
In reaching these recommendations to reduce the speed of traffic we are recognising that being an A road there are restrictions on what can be undertaken e.g. introduce a timed 20 MPH speed restriction outside the school.
GKRA would appreciate any further contributions from Buckinghamshire Highways as to other measures that can be introduced.
This ePetition runs from 23/01/2025 to 20/02/2025.
346 people have signed this ePetition.