Wokingham Borough Connect
 Last chance to get riding and win rewards
You've still got time to win some fantastic prizes in Love to Ride's Winter Wheelers, which we support. They include:
- Ride anywhere, any time, until 31 January and each trip will earn an entry into a draw to win the grand prize of £2,500
- Four £100 gift vouchers - winners to be announced on 29 January
- A £100 gift card for encouraging others to take park
- A limited edition Love to Ride Bikezacs, which is a simple but tough pannier that you can easily fold away and carry.
No matter your experience level, Love to Ride offers all the tips and support you need to stay comfortable and safe while riding in winter. This offers a great chance to stay active, improve your fitness, and boost your mood during the colder months.
Of course, you can enjoy cycling all year round. Our My Journey Wokingham team offers a range of free resources including route maps.
 New airport coach service all set for take-off
You can now travel to and from Heathrow Airport by catching the RailAir coach at Winnersh Triangle.
The RA1 service from Reading now serves a new stop at Winnersh Triangle park and ride, next to the railway station.
It's been added to meet growing demand for a direct link to the airport for everyone who lives or works in the borough.
The journey, which you can book online, takes under an hour and arrives and departs from straight outside the terminal door.
It runs up to every 20 minutes, including early mornings and late nights, and coaches have air conditioning, wi-fi and USB charging.
Buses replace trains for weekend maintenance
There'll be rail replacement buses on the line between Reading and Bracknell this Saturday and Sunday (25 and 26 January) due to planned maintenance work.
This affects South Western Railway services from Reading to London Waterloo, with the rail replacement bus calling at Earley, Winnersh Triangle and Winnersh. Trains run as usual between Bracknell and London Waterloo.
It also affects Great Western Railway services between Reading and Redhill and Gatwick Airport, with a rail replacement bus covering stops between Reading and Guildford including Wokingham.
 Helping more children enjoy cycling for life
This year, we're aiming to teach even more youngsters to ride safely and independently on the roads under the national Bikeability scheme.
This initiative starts with basic off-road handling skills (Level 1), then progresses onto quiet roads before tackling more challenging ones, often on routes to secondary schools (Level 2 or Level 3).
We trained 1,812 children at Level 2 in 2023/24 and this year we plan to train 1,968 children, or 80 per cent of all Year 5 pupils. This is worthwhile, as areas with more Bikeability training have fewer serious road injuries or deaths.
Our training providers Avanti Cycling are often looking for new instructors, so if you'd like to learn more then please get in touch with them.
Some top tips for a solid start
If your child is ready to cycle independently, you can encourage them to:
- Learn the rules of the road – Bikeability will teach this
- Plan and practice the route to school – and remember the route you drive is not necessarily the route you would cycle. Consider dedicated or shared cycling paths, well lit parks and safe crossing points. Accompany your child on a few trial runs until they are confident about their route
- Equip them well - a well-fitted helmet, visible waterproof jackets, reflective strips on their back packs, gloves in the winter, a bike lock and lights. Visibility is key when cycling on the road
If you see children riding in high-vis vests, they're probably on a Bikeability class. We were all learners once, so give them space and expect them to make mistakes.
 Calling young artists to show us your school run
All primary and secondary schoolchildren in the borough are invited to design a poster showing how they walk, cycle or scoot to school.
We want as many pupils as possible to travel actively, because it's healthier and much better for the environment.
The winning posters at primary and secondary level will have their posters printed and displayed in school to encourage others to get into the habit.
There are also prizes at both levels in the following categories:
- 1st Place - £50 Decathlon voucher
- 2nd Place - £25 Decathlon voucher
- 3rd Place - £15 Decathlon voucher
You've got until Monday 24 February to send your designs to us.
 Want to learn to look after your bike?
You can now book a place on one of our basic bike maintenance courses at the following venues:
- 8 February – Emmanuel Church Hall, Woodley
- 1 March – St Paul’s Parish Hall, Wokingham
- 8 March – Pinewood Scout Hut, Wokingham Without
- 22 March – Winnersh Community Centre, Winnersh
The course costs £11 and will cover the following topics:
- How to check your bike
- How to change an inner tube if you get a puncture
- How to adjust your brakes
- How to clean and oil your bike
You can also get general maintenance advice from our instructor. Please bring your own bike and an inner tube.
 Train your way to your first 5K!
If you fancy getting fit enough to run 5km, Places Leisure at Arborfield Green Leisure Centre is planning to host a free ten-week My Way to 5K running group.
This will be run with our support, though the organisers would first like to know what the best time of day would be for people to take part.
Please fill out this form if you'd be interested in joining.
 Upcoming activities and events
- Free Balance Bike Club at FBC in Finchampstead (Wednesdays)
- Free Balance Bike Club at Woodford Park Leisure Centre in Woodley (Thursdays)
- Learn to Ride sessions (£10) at FBC in Finchampstead (Wednesdays)
- Learn to Ride sessions (£10) at Woodford Park Leisure Centre in Woodley (Thursdays)
- FREE Dr Bike checks at Woodford Park Leisure Centre (Thursdays from 2.30pm to 3.30pm)
For more information on our regular cycle training and activities, visit our website. or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter).
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