Preparing our roads for wetter winter weather
We're improving drainage features at 16 locations across the borough to help improve our flood resilience for the coming autumn and winter.
These works are taking place at Aston, Barkham, Earley, Farley Hill, Finchampstead, Grazeley, Hurst, Winnersh, Woodley and Wokingham.
Measures include installing new pipes and drains, linings and permeable paving, clearing blockages and reshaping roads to prevent flooding.
We've finished some of these schemes while others are under way or in the initial stages. We're also carrying out deep cleans and structural surveys at 17 locations.
We've also reinstated an additional £150,000 into our drainage budget this year, allowing us to target the areas that need the most attention.
This should make a positive difference in the months to come, as the weather is expected to be wet again following high temperatures.
More resilient, but we can't stop flooding entirely
Much of our network depends on roadside ditches and other watercourses working properly, though we aren't responsible for maintaining them all.
Most streams, ditches and other channels are on private land and it's the landowner's duty to look after them and keep them clear.
We provide advice and guidance to landowners, and where necessary we can use our enforcement powers to ensure they meet their responsibilities.
We also deal with reactive issues like delivering sandbags, and last year, we emptied more than 32,000 gullies as part of our annual clearing programme.
Additionally, the UK's weather has become wetter over recent decades, in part due to the ongoing effects of climate change.
We're doing all we can to address the climate emergency across everything we do, including support for active and sustainable alternatives to driving.
Our maintenance partners at VolkerHighways will soon be on standby to grit the roads or clear snow and ice at the most important locations on our network. We'll give you an update on that in the next few weeks.
Route openings as new road moves forward
As part of our South Wokingham Distributor Road project, a new access road to the Tesco supermarket off Finchampstead Road will open next Friday (30 October).
It'll connect to the rear of Tesco car park via a new roundabout (pictured) and eventually to the new distributor road with pedestrian links to local footpaths.
There'll be some final overnight works on this from Wednesday 4 to Saturday 7 November. The existing access road will be closed and pedestrianised.
Meanwhile, a shorter new pedestrian route around our works site to the south of the railway line, off Easthampstead Road, will be opening on Monday (26 October).
This will join White Horse Road, the new link road we opened as part of this scheme, and rejoin Easthampstead Road near the junction with Heathlands Road.
We're also hoping to open the footpath between Finchampstead Road and Ludgrove Drive soon, with others to follow nearer the end of the project.
For regular updates, sign up for our South Wokingham newsletter - the next one's due out tomorrow night (Friday 23 October). The new road, which we're building in partnership with Balfour Beatty, should fully open by early 2027.
Above (click or tap to enlarge): The section of the route passing through Culver Lane in Earley
Closures shifting for work on new cycle route
We're making progress on the Culver Lane phase of our active travel route from Woodley to Reading, which is still on course to finish this year.
The current closure, between Wykeham Road and Blackthorn Close in Earley, is expected to stay in place until about next Friday (30 October).
It will then move to between Anderson Avenue and Palmerstone Road until about Saturday 28 November, while we finish installing a segregated cycle track.
This is extended from the original date of Monday 16 November due to unforeseen complications with underground utilities, so thanks for your patience.
We'll keep doing all we can to complete these works as quickly and safely as possible. As part of this phase, we've built a new crossing on Palmer Park Avenue and we'll also be resurfacing Culver Lane under the bridge.
Once it's finished, we'll be carrying out some final works on Church Road, including a new zebra crossing just north of the Palmerstone Road junction.
Progress on whole project, plus speed limit changes
This project connects Woodley precinct with Palmer Park and is funded by the Department for Transport as part of our wider vision for better active travel.
So far we've completed a section of cycle track on Woodlands Avenue in Woodley, between Crockhamwell Road and Bulmershe Leisure Centre, which is now open.
The old centre lines on Woodlands Avenue have also been fully erased (above) though the carriageway's still two-way as before and 5.5m wide.
The entire route includes new zebra crossings and raised table crossings at side roads, to reinforce pedestrian and cyclist priority in line with the Highway Code.
We're also introducing 20mph restrictions on Palmerstone Road, Culver Lane and Woodlands Avenue, in line with best practice.
You can still comment on the impact of the experimental restrictions on Woodlands Avenue (Section 6, Section 4, Section 3a and 3b).
We've been working hard to improve access to walking, wheeling and cycling options for a long time, as this addresses the underlying cause of congestion by reducing shorter local car trips. It's also healthier and helps to reduce air pollution as well as carbon emissions.
Image courtesy of The Barberettes
Cheers as bus firm marks century (and a quarter)
Reading Buses, who run services across Wokingham Borough alongside sister operator Thames Valley Buses, have reached their 125th anniversary.
The multi-award winning firm celebrated the landmark milestone with a free display of their historic fleet from the 1940s to the present.
This included old trolleybuses, which ran on Reading town centre's former electric tramways from 1936 until they were wound up in 1968.
Visitors enjoyed vintage bus rides, memorabilia and performances by community groups including the Barberettes (pictured), a women's singing group from Earley.
Plan your journey on Reading Buses' local routes like the Lion 4/4A, Leopard 3, various services to Earley and Woodley, park and ride services and more.
Thames Valley Buses, who became part of Reading Buses in 2019, operate several routes in the Wokingham town area including links to Twyford and beyond.
Reading Buses is owned by Reading Borough Council and its surpluses are reinvested in providing and improving services.
Learn more about how buses and trains are thriving in Wokingham Borough, with some support coming from us. We're going to increase investment in bus services that we support when new contracts start in 2027.
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.
Finchampstead
Road closure - Dell Road
Monday 26 October, 9.30am to 3.30pm
The road will be closed along its entire length while BT carry out overhead cabling work using a hoist.
Hare Hatch
Temporary lights - Bath Road
Thursday 29 October to Monday 2 November
There'll be multi-way lights at the junction with Milley Lane while Gigaclear carry out telecomms installation works.
Remenham
Temporary lights - Remenham Hill
Monday 26 October to Friday 18 December
There'll be multi-way lights between Aston Lane and Upper Culham Lane while SGN carry out a gas main replacement and related works.
Ruscombe
Road closure - Various roads
Tuesday 27 October
Sections of Ruscombe Lane, Waltham Road, New Road and Stanlake Lane will be closed at various points while we lay anti-skid surfacing and paint lining.
Shinfield
Temporary lights - Shinfield Road
Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November
There'll be two-way lights near Perigee and Wilsford Close while Cityfibre demolish and rebuild a noisy chamber beneath the carriageway,
Swallowfield
Road closure - Lambs Lane
Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October
The road will be closed near the junction with Beech Hill Road while we carry out improvements to the footway.
Woodley
Temporary lights - Reading Road
Wednesday 28 October to Friday 30 October
There'll be two-way lights between Headley Road / Beechwood Avenue and Farriers Close while SSEN fix a defect.
Wokingham
Road closure - Easthampstead Road
Monday 26 to Wednesday 28 October
The road will be closed between Redlake Lane and Heathlands Road while South East Water install a new connection.
Keeping up to date
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