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The roadworks in Davis Street, Winnersh
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Anger erupts as roadworks continue

September 03, 2010

Drivers fed up with the borough’s abundance of roadworks say Wokingham’s quiet estates have been turned into rat runs.

And the problems look set to continue after the summer holidays, with major roadwork projects planned for town centre roads, including potential closures, from this month.

Robinhood Lane/Davis Street closed for extra week

One project by South East Water is scheduled to last from September to February, with three kilometres of new pipeline being laid under Easthampstead Road, Heathlands Road and Honey Hill.

The scheme is the latest phase in the firm’s water main replacement work. It is on schedule to complete work in Finchampstead Road this weekend, having enforced a road closure since July.

The work has caused anger among residents in Nash Grove Lane and Evendons Lane, who say drivers looking for a cut-through to avoid the busy diversion route have turned their roads into rat runs.

Nash Grove Lane rat run closed off

Roadworks have also been taking place in Waterloo Road and Murdoch Road over the summer, which residents say has pushed traffic onto normally quiet roads.

Fed-up drivers tell of roadwork misery

Southern Gas Networks has been working in Waterloo Road with traffic lights controlling cars, however Wokingham Borough Council launched resurfacing works on Friday, with a closure of the road expected to last until today.

One resident of Seaford Road, who asked not to be named, said: “The various roadworks in and around Wokingham have meant that the road where I live has turned in to a rat run.

“It doesn’t seem like the people who have planned the road closures have any idea at all about the diversions that they put in place.”

And Natalie Slater, 26, of Rances Lane, said: “I understand that road improvements are necessary but to do them all at the same time seems ridiculous.

“Having Waterloo Road and Finchampstead Road closed at the same time made in near on impossible to get around and I can’t understand how the council can justify closing Nash Grove Lane to prevent people using it as a cut through just to please a few households. It’s an inconvenience to everyone, not just them.”

Wokingham MP John Redwood has been contacted by numerous constituents complaining about the volume of roadworks taking place over the summer.

Closures have also been enforced in Davis Street in Winnersh, where resurfacing work to the bridge from Robin Hood Lane is taking place, and Loddon Bridge Road in Woodley.

The MP said: “In addition, Waterloo Road, Lower Wokingham Road and Barkham Road have had or still have roadworks impeding flows one way.

“I understand that the council does not control the utilities if they need to do urgent work.

“However, surely it is possible to reach agreement about staggering works so more routes in a given direction stay open at any given time?

“It would also be good to see some new thinking, to get new utility pipes and wires put in concrete boxes under pavements, allowing easier access without digging trenches each time we need repairs.”

Councillor Keith Baker, executive member for highways and transport, said the volume of roadworks this summer had been particularly high.

However, he added many works were emergencies and the need for the utility companies to carry out repairs had to be balanced with the problems this would cause on the roads.

Are you fed up of roadworks across the borough? Leave your comments below.

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Is Finchampstead Road still closed?

CMA
06/09/2010 at 12:59

What ever the process, my point is that it is not good enough!!!

Don't let them hide behind "national standards".

They are supposed to serve their community!

Do you work for them?

Minty
06/09/2010 at 12:16

I think you will find the council do check the reinstatements that utility companies carryout, there is a national standard, and therefore they can only check to ensure they meet this standard and i believe it allows the utility to have a temporary reinstatement for upto 6 months prior to a perminant one. And Mr Moss, I think you will find that the footways are already full of utility and drainage plant....thats why they now dig in the carriageway!!

The Wise Old Man
05/09/2010 at 01:05

The council should ensure that they conduct proper audits of the work being done. Too often work is completed to a poor standard and contractors get away with it!

Minty
03/09/2010 at 12:17

I think it is important that everybody places the blame for this with the utility compaines and also our current legislation that allows them to dig up roads at random and repair them to a shocking standard. Do they have to pay compensation for the disruption and lost time they cause to thousands of people in the borough? They shoudl do and there should be a way for people to demonstrate how they have been affected.

Additionally, why do they not put all the pipes under the pavement thereby virtually eliminating the road closures in the first place? I wonder if our roads would not be in the crumbling potholed state they are in now if this had been done this way over the years...