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Go-ahead for one-way Station Road

By Victoria Smith
January 27, 2012

Blueprints for a £5 million link road aimed at reducing the traffic bottleneck around Wokingham railway station have been approved, including plans to make Station Road one-way.

Wokingham Borough Council’s executive committee last night agreed in principle to the designs for the road, which will link Reading Road with Station Road.

The council is working with Network Rail and South West Trains on the project, which includes rebuilding the station.

Key changes to the road layout include:

- Station Road to become one-way, from Shute End and Reading Road towards the station. The road will have two lanes, with the left-hand lane for Wellington Road and the right lane for Barkham Road.

- New link road connecting Reading Road at numbers 48 and 50 to Station Road at the existing entrance to the station car park.

Drivers will be able to use the link road to reach the station car park from Reading Road, but not Station Road, as the road is part one-way.

Drivers will be able to move along the link road from Station Road to Reading Road.

- Alderman Willey Close to become a one-way through road linking Station Road to the new link road.

- Drivers emerging from Oxford Road into Barkham Road near the level crossing will only be allowed to turn right.

The plans also include a bus interchange at the train station and improved pedestrian and cycling facilities.

Numbers 48 and 50 Reading Road would need to be demolished to accommodate a section of the link road to be two-way, allowing access to the station car parks as well as improving bus access.

The properties are owned by the council and used to support adults with mental health issues and other difficulties.

Councillor Keith Baker, executive member for transport, said: “The station link road is a critical part of the road network needed to regenerate the town.”

The council plans to spend £5 million on the road and contribute £1.5 million to the new train station.

Following the meeting a consultation on the plans is expected to take place from March to April.

The council has planned a number of drop-in sessions, with dates to be announced, to take place in the town centre to give local people a chance to view designs for the new road layout and talk to highways officers.

A planning application for the scheme is expected to be submitted in July.

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One observation I have on these plans. As a resident of Barkham Road, under the new layout it seems that if I were to want drive to the A329M as I do currently on my journey to work, I'd have to go all way to the Woosehill rounabout as you can't turn right onto Reading road from Oxford Road, and you won't be able to turn right from the Link Road onto Reading Road either.

This seems crazy to me. Would it not be possible to put a mini roundabout on the Reading Road / Link Road junction to allow traffic to turn right towards Wokingham from the Link Road ?

rrowe, Wokingham
02/02/2012 at 14:54

Well then I suggest the coucil members study these as well as them seem not have a clue when asked about it.

Andy Shaw
30/01/2012 at 11:58

Andy, the council's official 'views' are contained within their Parking Standards Policy which can be studied on the council's website. There is no need to guess, they are there in black and white. All planning authorities will have their own parking standards which reflect their own needs. Any new development proposals, as I said, will have to comply with these standards and incorporate sufficient parking within its plans. Your question is therefore answered as you suggested in your original comment.

LarryS
30/01/2012 at 11:40

Well that the problem, no official view form the council so we are all left guessing

Andy Shaw
30/01/2012 at 10:51

Andy Shaw - looking back at your previous comment, it looks as if you answered your own question!

It goes without saying that any plans for new homes have to include provision for parking, whether its garages or parking spaces, and they will be part of any new development.

LarryS
30/01/2012 at 10:17

No answer to the where will the 400 cars park I see. Sums up the contempt the council shows to residents nicely.

Andy Shaw
30/01/2012 at 09:37

I'm liking the new scheme, will obviously wait for further detail.. my only concerns being - The exit of Alderman Willey Close onto Station Road, I assume this will have a traffic light? I couldnt find any mention of this in the consultation PDF and the 'rear exit' looks like it could be an accident black spot - If Barkham road traffic will be held at a red light every time the barriers come down I think provision for a left turn lane using some of the land owned by Jewson/Three Brewers pub to reduce the impact of cars being unnecessarily held

Apart from that.. good job. I just thought work was starting in March...!

Joe Bloggs
30/01/2012 at 09:07

@Peter Turner love your comments..

"Damn the stupid public ..... if it wasn't for their medalling your plans would be soooo much easier ...."

I have to smile at the 21 comments, 4 of which are one person... vested interest maybe?

Woky Local, Wokingham
28/01/2012 at 17:09

Peter Turner - you are entitled to your opinion however you do not know me nor do you have any idea of my opinion of what the public think. If I did not care I would not be responsive to these messages. I also would not be encouraging each and everyone of you to participate in the consultation.

Might I suggest you stop being personal and let us know, either through this message board or through the consultation, what your views are on the scheme. I think that would be far more helpful.

Cllr Keith Baker
28/01/2012 at 16:57

My experience of lockable cycle stores is that they are very useful for commuters who want to use them every day but offer nothing for people who want to leave a cycle about once a week. At the present anyone arriving at the station by cycle after 9.00am has to lock their cycle to the railings alongside the carpark. If lockable cycle racks are provided that will probably be at the expense of the current free ones, making that situation even worse. There is a vital need for safe cycle routes, in particular south to north, into the town centre. A cycle lane up Denmark Street for iits full length would be a start. Creating a further diversion after the station level crossing is not acceptable to cyclists who will continue turning right into Wellington Road but in future using the narrow pavements near the crossing.

How is a cyclist expected to get from the carpark, where presumably the cycle store will be located into Barkham Road? Once again they will be forced onto narrow pavements amongst the disabled people trying to get to the Reading bound platform before the gates close.

PoneRana, Wokingham
28/01/2012 at 13:34

I must agree with Mildew.

Cllr Keith Baker you obviously don't care what the public think of you, and perhaps this proposal.

Damn the stupid public ..... if it wasn't for their medalling your plans would be soooo much easier ....

Peter Turner
28/01/2012 at 10:50

I've heard mentioned several times of a small retail development being part of the station revamp / link road. Are there any further details on this?

alex_f, Wokingham
27/01/2012 at 17:37

I note one objective is to improve the ...... cycle ..... bus access and interchange with the rail station and town centre. Will there be dedicated cycle lanes from Broad Street to the Station (and potentially the Holt School)? What specific provisions are to be made for cyclists, with the exception of parking at the Station? How will it make cycling safer for school children and commuters alike?

Ivor Biggun, winnersh
27/01/2012 at 16:55

RIGHT SAID FRED - The junctions either side of the level crossing will be controlled by traffic lights which will be positioned before the side roads, in this case Oxford Road. This will ensure that the "keep clear" by the Oxford Road junction is not constantly blocked as it is at the moment. So if a driver decides to go onto the other side of the road in order to pass stationary traffic then they will have to go through the red light in order to get to Oxford Road.

Will this stop people doing what you describe? Unfortunately you cannot legislate to stop every single bit of driver behaviour and what you have described will occur occasionally. All you can do is to make sure that if someone does that then the safety of all is increased.

Cllr Keith Baker
27/01/2012 at 16:28

Cllr Baker - much appreciated for the link. I couldn't find this. The contents are certainly very interesting. I see that the current upper car park will in fact be mostly retained, although access will only be to people coming from Wellington Road or Barkham Road. This means that additional parking can be provided through the removal of the current width restriction and converting this grassy area into parking. The provision of a second level would be much advised in the long run, I think, although it isn't required immediately because the higher cost of parking here has deterred some drivers from using it. And I am aware of the cost to hard pressed commuters - I am one. £6.50 per day (£30/week, £90/month)! How to screw your customers perhaps?

The only comment I have at the moment on the station plans is that the provision for taxi ranks is insufficient for the vast numbers of taxis we have strewn all around the car park at some times of the day now. Most are stopped in the disabled bays waiting for space. I will contribute further comment at the consultation.

I hope that you will continue to press to maintain the current level of parking in the town centre. It is important we don't lose custom by removing this facility, that is currently very good.

My comment about the disabled bays wasn't really that they were going to disappear. Legislation means that disabled provision will have to remain and improve, which is good news for those who need it. However, the new station does NOT provide a means for disabled people to cross the tracks when the barriers are down, ie a bridge with a lift. Even Feltham has this, and there is a road bridge over the railway there. I think making disabled people cross over the track is very poor by Network Rail.

mavdo, Wokingham
27/01/2012 at 16:16

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Go-ahead for one-way Station Road

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