 Above: the junction of Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road will be improved to support the new road
Closures for new road this weekend and next
We're partly closing the junction of Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road over two weekends as part of our South Wokingham Distributor Road project.
This will be followed by longer, ongoing closures from late July, which are set to run into early 2026 as our partners at Balfour Beatty improve the junction.
This scheme, called Western Gateway, includes replacing the existing mini-roundabout with a larger roundabout to improve traffic flow.
This month's closures are as follows:
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Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May - closure on Finchampstead Road (south of junction), traffic flowing between Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road (north of junction) as usual
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Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May - closure at eastern end of Molly Millars Lane, traffic flowing in both directions on Finchampstead Road as usual
Each closure is due to start at 6am on the Saturday and end at 6am on the following Monday, though we'll aim to finish work and reopen sooner if we can.
These closures will allow us to dig trenches for underground utility pipes and cables. Access to businesses and homes will be open with a signed diversion in place.
Got questions about the new road, or the new homes and infrastructure that it's supporting? Come and find out more at drop-in event at St Sebastian's Memorial Hall in Wokingham Without (Nine Mile Ride, RG40 3BA) from 4.30pm until 7pm on Thursday 15 May.
 Above (click to enlarge): the closed footpaths and alternative route via surrounding streets
Footpaths to stay shut for safety reasons
All public footpaths off Finchampstead Road, Gipsy Lane, Luckley Road and the private Ludgrove access track may be closed until mid-2026 at the earliest.
Anyone who uses these routes should use the alternative routes shown in the diagram above, which will soon be displayed on signs at the site boundary.
From next Monday (12 May), we're also set to close the eastern end of the Ludgrove track so construction traffic can cross it using a new temporary road.
There'll be an alternative vehicle entrance off Heathlands Road but this won't be suitable for cyclists or pedestrians. We hope to reopen the track by this autumn.
Another footpath east of Finchampstead Road, which runs from the Heathlands Road junction to the Waterloo Road roundabout, will also close later this year.
We'll announce a date nearer the time and share more details, including the expected timeframe and alternative routes.
 Above: new ditches have been dug and a haul road has been built across the site which the paths cross
Protecting everybody from multiple site hazards
We know these closures are disappointing, but the area isn't safe at the moment. The Secretary of State agrees, and has given permission for an extended closure.
While many sections can't be seen from public areas, the paths deeper into the site are now very uneven, difficult and hazardous to cross.
We've built an internal road to haul materials along, and this will soon be busy with heavy machinery regularly crossing the footpaths in both directions.
There'll also be extensive earthworks while we build a new road bridge over the Emm Brook, so there's no easy way to create a temporary alternative route.
We're hoping that footpaths 10 (Gipsy Lane to Ludgrove track) and 25 (Finchampstead Road to Ludgrove track) could reopen in summer 2026.
Footpaths 9 and 24, which connect footpaths 10 and 25 via a footbridge over the Emm Brook, could follow a little later in early 2027.
 Above: the view south of the Gipsy Lane railway footbridge, looking towards the Ludgrove School track
All options considered and aiming to work quickly
We're committed to promoting safe and sustainable travel, and we understand these footpaths are popular with lots of people, so we didn't take this decision lightly.
We're looking at whether we could level Footpath 10 from Gipsy Lane to Ludgrove track for people to cross, but we aren't yet sure if this can be done safely.
If this does happen, it won't be for at least another couple of months. We apologise again for the disruption and thank you for your patience.
There'll be lots of improvements to the countryside in the long run - including new planting and landscaping and an improved footbridge over the Emm Brook. There'll also be 67 hectares of public open space, including nature parks, as part of the wider South Wokingham development.
 Above: sheeting has been put up along the course of the Emm Brook to keep mud from the site away
Continuing to build new road responsibly
As well as planting and landscaping the finished road, we're doing all we can to minimise the environmental impact at all stages of the project.
At the outset, our partners at WSP carried out surveys for roosting, commuting and foraging bats, reptiles, badgers, breeding birds and great crested newts.
They ensured that protected species like great crested newts were suitably relocated, carried out pre-works inspections and continue to provide ecological advice.
With work now underway, Balfour Beatty are also following responsible measures including putting up sheeting along the site's boundary with the Emm Brook.
This ensures the stream does not fill with mud, in turn protecting any aquatic plants and animals that depend on it.
As part of their commitment to supporting our community, Balfour Beatty are carrying out lots of positive work including speaking to pupils in schools, accepting apprentices and work experience students, and planning public youth art projects. We'll share more about this in future newsletters.
 Above: wire fencing along the Tesco access road will continue to be replaced with wooden boards
Other works to note for this month
From next Monday (12 May), SSE will be redirecting overhead power cables near Tesco off Finchampstead Road. This shouldn't affect your journeys.
There'll be temporary traffic lights on the Tesco access road from Monday 19 May as we continue to replace wire fencing in that area with solid wooden boards.
Later in May, on a date to be confirmed, there'll be four-way traffic lights near Tesco roundabout on Finchampstead Road while we carry out investigative works.
More closures on the horizon as works progress
We'll be closing part of Easthampstead Road, between the junctions of Waterloo Road and Heathlands Road, for several months from winter 2025 into mid-2026.
We're also awaiting planning permission for a new roundabout at the junction of Peacock Lane and Waterloo Road, which will require temporary lane closures on surrounding roads from late 2025.
The final timeframes for these closures aren't confirmed, but we should be able to share more over the summer.
 Above (click to enlarge): a diagram showing the course of the new road along the railway line at South Wokingham
Get the full background if you've missed it
We've just updated our South Wokingham Distributor Road web pages, though this newsletter will continue to carry important and urgent updates.
If you've only signed up recently, here's everything we've shared so far:
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 UPDATE: diagrams showing South Wokingham's future
Our previous newsletter about the long-term vision for South Wokingham contained several diagrams which were supposed to enlarge when clicked.
Two of these weren't clickable in the final published newsletter, for which we apologise. Please click below to view to view the full set.
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