Wokingham Borough Connect
 Help us make travel greener, healthier and safer
Everyone who travels around the borough can now comment on our vision to make this healthier, safer and more environmentally friendly for years to come.
We’re consulting on our revised Local Transport Plan, a “big picture” strategy that sets out how we want to improve everything from footpaths and cycleways to roads, bus services and more.
It aims to make walking, cycling or taking public transport easier and will help us get funding to make it happen, though we know this can’t always replace driving.
The plan's goals include reducing congestion, serious collisions and pollution, making public spaces more accessible and improving bus and train provision.
This could be achieved by measures, subject to further consultation, like 20mph speed limits, more pedestrianised spaces, better infrastructure and more.
Well done to the 289 cyclists who embraced the cold to take part in Love to Ride's annual Winter Wheelers scheme, riding 13,866 miles between 1 and 25 December. That's a 14.5 per cent increase on last year! We'll be announcing more on Love to Ride's upcoming spring campaign soon.
 Award for cycle trainer who rode the extra mile
An instructor who revolutionised cycle training in Wokingham Borough and taught thousands of children to ride safely has been honoured by a national charity.
Jill Bissell, who recently retired from our My Journey Wokingham team, won the Lifetime Achievement title in the latest Celebration of Bikeability awards.
When she joined us in 2008, Jill wanted us to join the national Bikeability programme as she’d already trained to teach it. She ensured we got Government funding, giving all children the chance to learn these vital life skills.
Thanks to her, we piloted the enhanced Bikeability Plus scheme in 2016. We were named Local Authority Partner of the Year in 2020, with all primary schools offering Bikeability and 80 per cent of Year 6 children taking part.
Jill, who placed 16th out of Cycling UK’s 100 most inspirational women in 2017, will enjoy an active retirement as a British Cycling Breeze women’s champion.
We’re thankful for her efforts, which supported our mission to tackle the climate emergency, improve people’s health and reduce air pollution and congestion.
 Active youngsters bring the Christmas bling
The winner of our festive competition to bling up your bike, scooter or yourself was Xavier, five, from Wescott Infant School in Wokingham.
His brilliant entry saw his scooter transformed into a Christmas fireplace decorated with stockings, tinsel, holly and twinking red lights in the hearth. He won a well-deserved £25 Decathlon voucher.
Worthy runners-up were Isabella, five, age 5, also from Wescott Infant School, with her beautifully illuminated scooter, and Parker, five, from Floreat Montague Park Primary School in Wokingham, with his Christmas elf on a scooter.
Both won a selection of My Journey goodies promoting active and safe travel around the borough, and a family swim voucher donated by Places Leisure.
Smoothie bike wows panto crowds... oh yes, it does!
We brought our smoothie bike Pedalicious out of her winter slumber for the brilliant Christmas Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) events which took place at the Cornerstone Centre in Wokingham and other venues across the borough.
Families were able to enjoy some festive arts and crafts and got to make a pedal powered fruit smoothie before they watched the afternoon panto.
A big thank-you to Tesco's Community Champions scheme for providing the bananas and the apple juice used to make the smoothies.
Get your creative juices flowing on the school run
We've just launched our latest primary schools' winter competition!
To enter, you simply need to:
- Draw a picture or take a photo of something you like to see when you're travelling actively to school
- Write a short sentence about why you like what you see
Prizes up for grabs are:
Send your entries to us by Wednesday, 21 February.
 Helping you walk or cycle more in 2024
The New Year is a perfect time to bring in new habits. We want to help you make active swaps that will last all year round - and finding ways to swap your travel habits for healthier ones can be the first step.
Could your school run or work commute by car be replaced by a bike ride or walk instead? Maybe you could consider taking a rucksack for an essential shop run so you could cycle instead of taking the car.
Small changes to your lifestyle like this can benefit your health and count towards the NHS-recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week. You’ll also be able to save money on fuel costs and help lower carbon emissions in our borough.
Our website includes loads more top tips on making active swaps and we also run lots of regular events, including our Balance Bike Club and Learn to Ride sessions, to help children learn to ride safely and become more active.
 Secure bike lockers give riders peace of mind
If you're cycling into Wokingham town centre, did you know you can hire secure bike lockers at Denmark Street Car Park entrance and outside Carnival Hub?
The lockers, provided in partnership with Wokingham Town Council, cost:
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£1 per day (if booking a day/or few hours at a time)
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£5 for 7 days (if booking as a block)
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£15 for a month (if booking as a block)
You'll need to register through the Spokesafe app, which lets you check availability and gives you an access code for maximum security.
 Regular Activities and Events
- FREE Balance Bike Club at FBC (Wednesdays) which is sponsored by Complete Childcare
- FREE Balance Bike Club at Woodford Park Leisure Centre (Thursdays)
- Learn to Ride sessions (£6) at FBC in Finchampstead (Wednesdays)
- Learn to Ride sessions (£6) at Woodford Park Leisure Centre in Woodley (Thursdays)
- Dr Bike at Woodford Park Leisure Centre, Woodley (between 2.30-3.30pm - booking essential)
- Bike Wordsearch - find all the words that are bike related
For more information on our regular cycle training and activities, visit our website.
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