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Moving Around the Borough

Road under railway bridge about to reopen

We're about to move the closure points where we're upgrading the roundabout at the junction of Finchampstead Road and Molly Millars Lane in Wokingham.

On Monday (26 January), we'll be reopening Finchampstead Road immediately to the north of the junction, heading towards the Tesco roundabout.

At the same time, we'll be closing Finchampstead Road to motor traffic immediately to the south of the junction between Molly Millars Lane and Tangley Drive.

Contractors will work overnight this weekend to prepare for this final phase, which should run until mid-March. The roundabout will then reopen, but with about two weeks of overnight closures (8pm to 5am) for finishing works.

This is part of our South Wokingham Distributor Road project in partnership with Balfour Beatty - read more in our latest newsletter or subscribe for updates.

Alternative routes during Heathlands Road closure

The eastern end of Heathlands Road is closed at the junction with Easthampstead Road for junction works on the new road until about mid-February.

The official diversion is via Easthampstead Road, Old Wokingham Road, Nine Mile Ride and Heathlands Road, or the other way round, but there are alternatives.

If you’re coming from the A329M (eastbound), you can turn off at Coppid Beech roundabout onto the A329 London Road, then use William Heelas Way and Waterloo Road to reach Old Wokingham Road and onwards.

If you’re leaving the town centre via the one-way system, you can turn off Wiltshire Road at the Ship Inn onto the A329 London Road, then use William Heelas Way and Waterloo Road to access Old Wokingham Road and onwards.

REMINDER: We're starting work on our walking and cycling route from Woodley to Reading on Monday, which will involve road closures and diversions. Watch this space for updates and check out our special edition on the finished project, including a detailed overview of all temporary disruption.

Doing our best to keep you safe this winter

We're on standby to grit the roads for the rest of the winter, with forecasts coming in daily, and you can read more about this in our previous newsletter.

But we can't grit everywhere - we're responsible for 500 miles (805km) of roads and 506 miles (815km) of footways and footpaths so this would be impossible.

We mostly focus on the 37 per cent of roads (not including the M4) in our primary network, mostly those that link major destinations.

If the weather's particularly bad we might grit our secondary routes, which make up a further 13 per cent, and finally we may grit some less crucial roads.

Gritters go out preventatively, often working while most people are asleep, but can grit again if it snows or freezes. We can't give every street a grit bin and must prioritise roads where they're needed most, and can be easily reached by truck for refilling.

We also don't routinely and preventatively grit footways, though our teams may shovel snow and ice. Find out more on our website.

Safety is our top priority and we assess the risk of any defects against the standards we've set. Not all defects pose an immediate risk, and we'll carry out repairs required to meet our legal duty. We're facing a real-terms funding cut from the Government so must continue to use our resources wisely.

Stock image for illustration only

Take care after car gets stuck in rising water

Fire crews were called to Land's End Ford near Charvil on Tuesday (20 January) to help a driver who got stranded while trying to cross.

The driver had managed to get out by the time they got there, with police assisting, but their car was stuck in about four feet of water.

Nobody was hurt but you should avoid this route for now. If any water is flowing fast or you don't know how deep it is, change your route and don't risk it.

• Water higher than your front bumper can be dangerous to drive through
• Just 30cm of water can move your car, and it can float in 60cm
• A few teaspoons of water in the wrong place can wreck an engine
• Flood water can be contaminated and carry diseases

We clear drainage channels routinely, but many channels in the borough are on private land and are the landowner's responsibility. Find out more online about reporting flooding and which aspects we're responsible for.

Flooding can sometimes be caused by leaks in the water or waste water supply. You can find out who to report this to on the Water UK website.

New parking restrictions to reduce road hazards

Parking will be restricted at various locations around the borough after you asked us to help make your roads safer.

This will address the concerns you reported about drivers parking at junctions and bends, plus inconsiderate parking at school pick-up and drop-off times.

The new restrictions will stop parked cars from blocking people's views or creating hazards for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

Various measures are proposed in Arborfield, Earley, Finchampstead, Shinfield, Spencers Wood, Twyford, Wargrave, Winnersh, Wokingham and Woodley. See the third page of our report for the full list.

We consulted on these restrictions and made changes based on your comments. Overall, there was strong support for balanced, well-enforced measures to improve safety while considering people's parking needs.

Next steps on changes to resident parking permit scheme

A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation on changes to the borough's resident permit parking scheme is now open for comments.

We consulted widely last year and your input was essential in shaping final recommendations, approved by our executive in November. Those policy decisions cannot now be changed.

This TRO consultation is open until 12 February to raise concerns you think have not been considered – specifically, in relation to traffic management issues like safety, access and traffic flow.

You can see more detailed documents and maps and take a short survey on our consultation hub.

We offer a 100-day season ticket at seven of our car parks, allowing you to pay upfront and use each day when you need it, at a discounted rate of £4.50 per day. Sign into our parking platform or create an account to find out more.

Upcoming roadworks

We think these works will be the most disruptive, but you can see a list of all upcoming works in your area or browse our interactive map.

Keeping up to date

• For planned and emergency roadworks, follow us on Facebook
• To find out about roadworks near you, visit our interactive map
• For active and sustainable travel, visit My Journey Wokingham 
• Visit our major new roads page for plans and updates
• Find out more about resurfacing and repairs including potholes
• Report any issues with roads and streets online - including street lights, problems with traffic lights, potholes, damaged street furniture, problems with road markings and removal of dead animals. 
• Find out more about parking and permits including car park locations and costs, resident permits, park and ride services and appealing a parking fine
• Our transport and travel page includes applying for a senior citizen's or disabled person's bus and train pass, as well as public transport information
• The blue parking badges page has information on applying for, using, replacing and returning your blue badge