Work has begun on installing lighting at The Rye in High Wycombe after a Free Press investigation exposed safety fears that left women avoiding the park’s dark paths.

Buckinghamshire Council this week announced it will begin improvement works on the green space, including installing low-level lighting bollards, widening pathways, resurfacing routes and adding new connecting paths.

The move follows a report by this newspaper in February, in which women described avoiding unlit areas of the park and residents called for urgent action.

Documents shared with the Free Press show concerns about lighting and safety at The Rye had been repeatedly raised by residents since 2023.

The council is now taking action just over a month after the story was published, following the longstanding concerns.

International construction expert witness Stuart Bosley, 42, who raised the issue with the authority, said the works were encouraging but warned there remained limited detail about what would be delivered.

He said: “If this level of action and clarity had been present when the issue was first raised, and particularly following the serious incident in December 2024, it would have provided a great deal of reassurance to residents, especially women and children who use the area.

“With evidenced concerns having been raised over a sustained period, I had been engaged with legal counsel and was preparing for formal instruction following the recent press coverage.

“The Council was aware of that position, and I have remained fully transparent throughout, with this documented.

“The subsequent announcement of works shortly thereafter inevitably raises questions around timing. That said, it is right that progress is now being made.”

However, he said it should not have taken escalation or public scrutiny to prompt action on what he described as a “fundamentally straightforward” matter of public safety.

He added that his engagement with the council’s management team had fallen short of expectations, but said residents wanted to work constructively with the authority to find solutions.

Mr Bosley said: “Ultimately, the priority must be to ensure that people can feel safe at any time in their own community.

“In particular, women and children should be able to use these spaces with confidence, knowing that their safety has been properly considered and addressed. This is not an optional extra, it is a basic expectation.

“This is a positive step, but the focus now must be on ensuring that what is delivered properly addresses the specific areas of concern that have been consistently raised.”

The improvement works began on Tuesday, April 7, and are expected to run for 14 weeks, weather permitting, with work carried out in phases.

Responding to Mr Bosley’s concerns, cabinet member for culture and leisure Peter Brazier said the council welcomed residents’ engagement and was pleased the works could now move forward to improve safety and accessibility at The Rye.

He said: “The access improvements at The Rye, including proposed low-level lighting and pathway works, had been identified and planned as part of wider ongoing considerations for the park.

“As with many capital projects, progress was dependent on the confirmation and allocation of funding, which has now been secured.”