 Above: A view of the northern entrance to the roundabout, looking up Finchampstead Road towards the railway bridge
Roundabout project moving to next phase
The next stage of works to improve the junction of Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road in Wokingham will start soon.
We are replacing the existing mini roundabout with a much larger one, which will improve traffic flows and forms part of the South Wokingham Distributor Road project.
From Monday 8 September, the northern entrance to the roundabout on Finchampstead Road will be closed and there will be diversions for traffic and pedestrians.
We anticipate that this phase of the Western Gateway project will run until the beginning of 2026.
The current closure at the eastern end of Molly Millars Lane, which has been in place since 21 July, will be lifted and the southern approach to the roundabout on Finchampstead Road will remain open.
As well as improving traffic flows and supporting future development in the area, the scheme has new footways, cycleways and crossings.
Visit our website for a projected timeline and information on diversion routes.
If you know someone who could be affected by these works, forward this newsletter and encourage them to join our South Wokingham mailing list. It's free and it takes just seconds to sign up.
 How work is progressing
This bird's-eye view of the roundabout is a great way to see the progress we have made so far.
However, the current phase of the project has also involved a significant amount of underground work.
As well as a new drainage system, work has been done to future-proof the area, with new pipes that will make it easier for utility companies to carry out things such as repairs.
Part of the new road surface is also in place, which will allow traffic to flow between Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road, to the south of the junction, when the next phase begins.
Overnight works will be carried out at this junction on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 August to help us to transition to the next phase of the project.
In addition to Molly Millars Lane, which is already closed, the southern approach to the roundabout on Finchampstead Road will be closed from 8pm to 6am on these nights.
 Above: A diagram showing the upcoming closure point on Finchampstead Road (click to enlarge)
Diversion routes to be aware of
We continue to use a phased approach at this junction, meaning only one part will be closed at any given time.
When the next phase begins on Monday 8 September, the northern entrance to the roundabout on Finchampstead Road will be closed. However, traffic will still be able to flow between the southern approach and Molly Millars Lane, as shown in the diagram above.
When Finchampstead Road is closed, all vehicles will be diverted as follows:
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Northbound - Finchampstead Road (B3016), Nine Mile Ride, Nine Mile Ride Extension, Eversley Road (A327), Langley Common Road (B3349), Barkham Road (B3349), Station Approach, Reading Road (A329), Station Road (A321) and Wellington Road (A321)
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Southbound - Wellington Road (A321), Station Approach, Reading Road (A329), Station Road (A321), Barkham Road (B3349), Langley Common Road (B3349), Eversley Road (A327), Nine Mile Ride Extension, Nine Mile Ride and Finchampstead Road (B3016)
As ever, we would encourage everyone to follow the official diversion routes and to show consideration to residents and businesses in the area.
As part of this project, the grass verge on Molly Millars Lane will be replaced with a wider shared footway and cycleway, with a new crossing to be introduced. On Finchampstead Road, there will be a new toucan crossing to the north of the roundabout and the existing pedestrian crossing to the south will be relocated.
 Above: A diagram showing how the roundabout will look when it is completed (click to enlarge)
Later phases of Western Gateway
Below, we have set out how we expect the remaining stages of the project to take shape.
Although our partners at Balfour Beatty have done all they can to estimate how long they will need, this is a complex project and the timeline is subject to change. If the work is held up for any reason, we will let you know.
- Early 2026 – Finchampstead Road (south of junction) will be closed with diversions in place. Traffic will continue to flow between Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road (north of junction) only, with pedestrian access and footpath diversions. There will be a period when the new roundabout will be open, but still closed south of the junction
- March 2026 – Finchampstead Road reopens. Final surfacing and road marking will be carried out, which may require about a week of overnight closures
Improvements to the railway bridge were considered while planning these works, but could not be taken forward for logistical and financial reasons. This would be subject to agreement with Network Rail, who own the bridge and are responsible for maintaining it, but there are currently no plans to do so.
 Latest on the new road build
As you can see from the photo above, the South Wokingham Distributor Road is starting to take shape.
Earthworks are progressing to form the new embankments, with the main drainage work about to get underway.
There has also been movement on the new bridge over the Emm Brook. The foundations are being installed and we are aiming to put the beams in later this year, with a view to it being fully built early next year.
You can watch a video giving a behind-the-scenes view of the project.
Helpful links
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