 Winning pupils sing praises of walking and cycling
Our Active Travel Bingo competition has now come to a close, and we were delighted by the fantastic number of entries we received.
It was wonderful to see how many children took up our challenge to walk, cycle and scoot to school - even during the winter months!
The winner was Charles from Polehampton Infant School in Twyford.
His winning entry said: "I really enjoyed exploring. It also rained a lot and I found it fun jumping in the puddles, some were muddy. It made me feel excited seeing the flower buds for early signs of spring."
He wins a £50 Clip ‘n Climb gift card for Clip 'n' Climb in Arborfield. The runner-up, Francesca from Oaklands Junior School in Crowthorne, wins a £25 gift card.
Get ready for Big Walk and Wheel 2026!
We're encouraging schools across the borough to take part in the 17th annual Big Walk and Wheel initiative, which takes place from 16 to 27 March.
It's open to all settings and registration is free. Schools will get access to a dedicated online portal where they can:
- Log daily active journeys
- Track progress throughout the challenge
- Earn virtual badges
- Compete with neighbouring schools
- Celebrate every active journey made
The challenge is run by the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, formerly known as Sustrans.
As well as improving pupils' health and helping them focus in class, active travel is better for the environment as it reduces carbon emissions and air pollution.
 Bike lighting event shines at railway station
We recently hosted a successful 'lights on bikes' event at Wokingham station. Despite chilly weather, the afternoon was filled with positive conversations with passengers.
We were grateful for the support of our local neighbourhood police and British Transport Police, who helped make the event welcoming and productive.
Our Dr Bike mechanic carried out some impressive repairs on two bikes that were close to being written off. Thanks to his work, both students were able to stay mobile.
However, it was concerning to see they didn't have bike lights as dusk was approaching. To keep them safe and visible, we gave them free emergency lights.
Throughout the event, we raised awareness among rail users about the importance of high‑visibility and reflective clothing and, most crucially, the need to use bike lights after dark. It's a legal requirement but also key to staying safe.
If your bike needs a check, book one of our upcoming Dr Bike sessions.
Successful fun day with other community groups
We had the pleasure of attending the Family Fun Day at Trinity Church, Lower Earley during the half‑term holiday. This was a lively and well‑attended event, bringing together families, local community groups, the police, and charities.
It was a fantastic opportunity for us to share updates on My Journey events and initiatives, while handing out plenty of My Journey freebies.
Dr Bike provided free bike safety checks and carried out assessments on four bikes, helping families stay safe and confident. It was a successful day and we're thankful to our colleagues in the community engagement team for organising it.
 Every step counts, so track them together
Walking doesn’t have to mean long routes or big plans - sometimes it’s the small, regular walks that make the biggest difference to your health and wellbeing.
That’s why we’ve created the 7-Day Family Walking Tracker - a simple, printable sheet to help you notice and celebrate the walks you already do as a family.
After each walk, children can tick a box and write or draw something they noticed. This might be where they walked, the weather, or something else they enjoyed.
You can keep it on the fridge or kitchen table so it’s easy to come back to each day - and you might be surprised how quickly the small steps add up!
This campaign to help you build easy new habits is funded by the Government.
 Above (click to enlarge): the proposed improvements to the Suttons Seeds roundabout on the A4
Bus lane proposal to improve everyone's journeys
We're asking your thoughts on our plans to improve access into Reading on the A4 London Road, at the Suttons Seeds Roundabout on the borough border.
We're proposing two new sections of dedicated bus lane, which wouldn't take any space away from the road, on the westbound approach to the roundabout from Shepherds Hill and the southern side of the roundabout.
We'd remove the bus-only access onto the A4 London Road and divert buses onto London Road itself, and improve the waiting area at The Drive bus stop.
By eliminating conflict between buses, traffic and parked cars, buses will find it easier to run on time. Drivers will benefit from additional traffic lights and a new layout to help traffic flow better, and clearer lane markings.
This would be funded by the Department for Transport and carried out in partnership with Reading Borough Council, who plan to improve London Road on their side.
 Help us shape our future bus network
We're also reviewing our network of bus services that we support and would like your feedback on how you use them and what would help you most.
We want to improve them, but our finances are limited and we can't make all the improvements we want so your comments will help us to prioritise.
Buses are important for travelling in the borough, with the number of journeys increasing year on year since the pandemic despite more home working.
They provide essential access for residents to reach jobs, services, shops and leisure activities. More broadly, a balanced transport network is essential for a fair society.
We know that different demographics use buses differently, so we want to hear from people of all ages, genders and backgrounds.
 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)
- Dr Bike (free bike checks) at Woodford Park Leisure Centre (on Thursdays during term-time between 2.30pm to 3.30pm)
For more information on our regular cycle training and activities or to book, visit our website. or follow us on Facebook and Instagram
|
