RESIDENTS have expressed fears at the impact a controversial new motorway service area will have on Beaconsfield when it opens this spring.

The ‘Extra’ service area has been built on green belt land at Burtley Wood, and will be accessed via the A355, near junction two of the M40.

It is set to host outlets such as MacDonalds, KFC, Starbucks and WHSmiths, and will have amusements and a hotel on site.

But residents are concerned at the effect this will have on traffic near the town.

Raymond Tibbles, 68, of Disraeli Park, Beaconsfield, said: “I'd rather it not be there, to be honest. If you think there's the M25 and M40 it should be on another site. It should be on a junction on the M25.

“And it's going to bring a lot more traffic up, and I think that in itself does damage to the area.

“They have taken a beautiful wooded area away and for what? Do we really need it?”

Liz Dury, a teacher from Highfield Road, Flackwell Heath thought there was bound to be an increase in traffic when it opened. She said: “It's going to make it difficult for people at busy times I would imagine. It's very busy morning and evening going to Slough, and people coming off the motorway at rush hour may well make it worse.

“There's potential for accidents there as well.”

She also thought the site had been in a mess while construction has been underway.

Margaret Goodyer, 72, of Grove Road, Beaconsfield thought it was a mistake that access was only via the A355.

She said: “I think it would have been much more helpful if they had an area where you come straight off the motorway rather than come off another road.

“It's a fairly busy road, and if you go toward Farnham Common, there are accidents. But I suppose if there is more traffic and they go slower, it may be helpful.”

Judith Wells, 63, of Norwood Road, Loudwater, said: “I think it will bring a lot of traffic to the area, but we do need services along the motorway.

“It's an evil necessity. I don't know where the next nearest service areas are but people that are travelling do need the services.”

“The only concern is round the town there will be too many cars, and it's chewed up more of the countryside.”

Edward Haigh, 36, a client relations manager from London End, Beaconsfield Old Town thought the service area should have been built on the M25. He also hoped to have seen a more imaginative set of services.

He said: “They aren’t usually particularly nice places. I’ve always thought there’s a great opportunity to build a nice motorway service station – there’s one in Cumbria built round a nice little farm shop.

“But probably this will be full of amusement arcades and rubbishy food outlets. It will detract from the area.”

Steve Jackson, 49, is a newsagent from Penn Road, Beaconsfield, said he wasn’t likely to use the service area unless he was travelling late at night, but he did not have any objections.

He said: “It's got to go somewhere. I don't think it will make that much difference to the town. There's nothing much going on there that's different to what we've already got here. I wouldn't think people will go shopping there.”