 The new access road at Tesco, off Finchampstead Road, takes shape and will open soon (click/tap to enlarge)
Opening some routes as new road moves ahead
Our partners at Balfour Beatty continue to make progress on the South Wokingham Distributor Road, and we have some updates to share.
A temporary pedestrian route is set to open at the end of the month, letting you bypass the closure to the south of the level crossing on Easthampstead Road.
This has been closed since April and we know it's been inconvenient, but we haven't been able to allow access for safety reasons.
We're hoping to reopen Footpath 25 (Finchampstead Road to Ludgrove Drive) by the end of the month, though other paths will remain closed for now.
The new access road for Tesco off Finchampstead Road is also set to open later this month, with the old access road to be pedestrianised.
Find out more on this and other topics, including progress on nature parks, in our latest South Wokingham newsletter.
Join us at Hatch Ride Primary School next Thursday (8 October), between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, for the next South Wokingham community forum. We'll be answering questions, as will housing developers.
 Bridges to close for major rail embankment works
Warren Road in Woodley will be closed to all users at the railway bridge between the A4 and Wildwood Close from Monday 12 October until late April 2028.
Network Rail will be stabilising the slopes either side of Sonning Cutting, a 1.4-mile section of the Great Western Main Line between Reading and Twyford.
This runs from west of Shepherd's Hill roundabout to Duffield Road in Woodley and has a history of slippage due to soil saturation, including two incidents in 2024.
The scheme also requires a closure on Butts Hill Road, between Western Avenue and Mustard Lane, from Monday 9 November until mid-January 2027.
It won't be possible to allow pedestrian access at Warren Road due to limited space, although pedestrian access will be maintained on Butts Hill Road.
Vehicles will be diverted via Headley Road and Reading Road to join the A4 Bath Road. These works aren't expected to have any impact on train services.
We know this will be disruptive but the work is essential to improve railway safety and reliability, protect homes and businesses and prevent future emergencies.
 Network Rail used soil nails to stabilise a cliff at Dawlish in Devon in 2023/4 (image: Network Rail)
A proven method to improve safety and reliability
Network Rail's partners at Taylor Woodrow will work along the cutting to remove vegetation and drive soil nails, or long steel bars, into both sides to secure it.
They're also going to install a deep drainage system to remove groundwater from the soil and further reduce the risk of either slope moving.
A similar scheme was successfully completed on a cliffside railway in Devon in 2024.
They'll only remove vegetation on railway land where it's necessary to enable the work or where it poses a safety risk, and it will be allowed to grow back over time.
To reduce parking on residential streets, the teams will park at a site compound off Waingels Road and be taken to the site from there.
They're also working closely with ecologists and have identified measures to protect badgers, bats, nesting birds and other wildlife that could be affected.
Further works will be needed beyond April 2028, running to April 2030, and these will require further closures, with more details to be confirmed nearer the time.
Anyone with queries about the works at Sonning Cutting can contact Network Rail, sign up for neighbourhood notifications if they live nearby, follow them on X or call their 24-hour helpline on 03457 11 41 41.
 Next phase of works to install cycle track
As we continue to progress our active travel route from Woodley precinct to Palmer Park in Reading, we'll be closing part of Culver Lane this Saturday (3 October).
It'll be closed and diverted between Wykeham Road and Palmerstone Road, above, until Monday 16 November while we install a new cycle track.
This will go along the southern side of the street, with a shared-use path under the railway bridge, side road crossings and a foot crossing over Culver Lane.
During this closure, we're also going to resurface the carriageway. We were going to do this separately but we rescheduled it to minimise disruption.
As part of this project, we've just installed a new pedestrian priority crossing across Wykeham Road and a new zebra crossing on Palmer Park Avenue.
We're still expecting to finish by the end of the year and we'll continue sharing any updates in this newsletter.
 Further additions to completed cycle track
Following your comments, we've put up signs (above) at side road junctions along Woodlands Avenue, where we've installed the previous phase of cycle track.
These make clear that motorists can still turn and out but must give way to pedestrians or cyclists crossing or waiting to cross, as the Highway Code requires.
We're also now able to remove the base of the lamppost on Woodlands Avenue, near the entrance to Bulmershe Leisure Centre, after SSEN disconnected it.
This should be removed, along with the safety fencing, by the end of this week. Thank you for your patience while we waited for the disconnection.
It's not long until Cycle to School Week, and our My Journey Wokingham active travel team are challenging pupils, parents and staff to get involved. Find out more about the benefits and how you can make a difference.
 Water pipe upgrades for Wargrave area
Tag Lane, between Hare Hatch and Wargrave, will be closing along its entire length from Monday 12 October until Friday 5 February.
This is for Thames Water to upgrade a mains pipe that runs beneath the road.
Once this finishes, the works will progress with another closure on Blakes Road, between Tag Lane and Kings Acre near Victoria Road.
Diversions will be in place for both phases and we'll work with Thames Water to minimise disruption as much as we can.
Find out more about how we offset the impact of roadworks, including liaising with utility firms who carry out most of the works on our highways.
 Thanks for patience as long-standing works wrap up
SGN are finishing up their gas main upgrades on Milton Road in Wokingham, which have required closures since late June.
The road will be fully reopening tomorrow (Friday 2 October).
Thames Water are also about to finish upgrading a pipe under a section of the A4 Bath Road near Hare Hatch and Kiln Green, which started in January.
These essential works have been carried out in phases under temporary traffic lights and are set to finish next Friday evening (9 October).
Don't forget SGN will be carrying out a series of road closures in Winnersh this autumn and winter, again as part of their network-wide pipe upgrades. See last week's Moving Around the Borough newsletter for 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.
Remenham Hill
Temporary lights - A4130 Henley Road
Monday 5 to Wednesday 7 October, 9.30am to 4pm
There'll be two-way lights between Upper Culham Lane and the borough boundary while we carry out resurfacing works.
Twyford
Temporary lights - A4 New Bath Road
Tuesday 6 to Friday 9 October, 8pm to 6am overnight
There'll be two-way lights between the A321 Wargrave Road and Muddlers Lane while SSEN dig investigative holes,
Winnersh
Road closure - B3030 Robin Hood Lane
Monday 5 to Monday 9 November
The northbound lane will be closed between Winnersh Crossroads and Metjac Court, with the southbound lane still open, while SGN replace a gas main.
Woodley
Temporary lights - Loddon Bridge Road
Tuesday 6 to Thursday 8 October, 9.30am to 3.30pm
There'll be multi-way lights at the junction with Addington Garden while SSEN carry out remedial surfacing works.
Keeping up to date
|
