A VILLAGE showed a united front in its fight for relief over the number of lorries which uses its roads which could yet spiral further with the construction of massive railway projects.

Iver residents came out in force on Monday morning, holding up placards reading 'Iver Needs Relief' and 'No More HGVs', as members of the High Speed Rail select committee embarked on a tour of the area.

They were looking at roads which would bear the brunt of work done as part of the HS2 scheme.

In Iver, roads such as High Street are facing an increase of up to 2,860 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) journeys per week, at the peak of construction of the Heathrow Express depot (HEx) which is planned to be relocated to Langley as part of HS2.

Residents are already concerned with the dangers they face as a result of the current traffic flow of trucks roaring through their narrow streets.

Anne Beeson, an Iver resident, said: “I think we need a relief road. I’m partially disabled and have two grandchildren. I hate walking down here.

“The lorries are inches away and have to mount the pavements. We really need something to be done.”

Houses were coated with placards, lamp posts and telegraph poles sported white ribbons and banners were put up throughout the village for Monday's visit.

Councillor Wendy Matthews, chairwoman of Iver Parish Council, said: “We’ve really had to push in trying to organise this visit. We’ve organised this so that we can demonstrate first hand how terrible the traffic is that residents have to endure.”

Cllr Paul Griffin, independent district councillor, said the village knows it cannot stop projects such as HEx or the Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLH) but that "joined up thinking" was needed to provide a relief road to help.

Dominic Grieve, MP for Beaconsfield who was present for the protest, said: “Unless [the select committee] see the extent of the problem in the High Street I don’t think the impact will be apparent to them.”

Residential canal boaters who live on the Slough Arm just metres from the proposed plans have also hit out at the plan.

Speaking after the protests, one of those residents, Laurence Bugeon, said: “Government documents make no mention of the 45 residential boats who are also council tax payers. That means the Environment Agency surveying for nuisance pollution and so on did not take into account our presence within as little as 40 metres.”

She said the boaters were told that relocation was a possibility and when they inquired as to where, they were told hotels.

On Monday Robert Syms, chairman of the select committee, said the visit was slightly abnormal in his experience as the line is not planned to go near Iver.