Wokingham Borough Council hopes the Station Link Road will ease congestion in the town
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Level crossing misery could be over after Station Link Road approved
By Laura HerbertJanuary 23, 2013
A multi-millon pound scheme to ease ‘chaos’ at one of the town’s worst bottlenecks has been given the green light, despite fears for cyclist and pedestrian safety.
The level crossing at Wokingham Station has caused gridlock and misery to drivers every time the barriers close for decades.
But plans for a Station Link Road between Reading Road and Station Road were given unanimous approval by Wokingham Borough Council’s planning committee last Wednesday.
The road is part of a two-phase scheme, including a new-look railway station further from the level crossing and a transport interchange.
Stephen Reed, station link road project manager, said: “Something has to be done at the level crossing.
Vulnerable adults to move house due to Station Link Road work
“The key aspect of this scheme seeks to alleviate the chaos around the level crossing every time the barriers close.
“By providing the new through road we feel we have demonstrated we have made the traffic movements around this area significantly better now and, more importantly, in the future.
“The layout of this scheme provides new ways to access the station and car parks from Reading Road. No longer would every car, pedestrian and cyclist be concentrated close to the level crossing.”
But fears were raised about a shared cycleway and footpath running along part of the new road where it is not wide enough for a segregated route.
John Griffin, of the Wokingham Society, told the committee Department for Transport guidelines suggest a segregated cycle and footway should be favoured.His concern was shared by a number of committee members, particularly as the pavement narrows from 3.7 metres wide to two metres at one point.
Ward councillor Chris Singleton suggested the council look at a compulsory purchase to buy land to expand the width of the pavement where it narrows.
Fiona Cross, chair of governors at Walter Infants School, said: “We are concerned about works traffic using Oxford Road during times children are going to and from school.
“We ask the committee to ensure a ban on HGVs is placed on that road from 8.15am to 9.15am and from 3.15pm to 4.15pm.”
Mr Reed agreed to impose a permanent ban on HGV works traffic using Oxford Road. He added: “I will not say this scheme is perfect, very few are. They are always a compromise of competing issues.”
Work on the link road is expected to start in the autumn.
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Most recent user comments 6 of 6
Rescheduling the trains by a minute to reduce closed time of the crossing would save another few minutes.
But why is it necessary to stop traffic turning from Wellington Road onto the Barkham Road. The council’s own video clip shows the problem is not traffic turning across the crossing delaying that turning up Station Road, but rather visa versa.
Similarly why prohibit the turn from Oxford Road up Station Road. If this is really necessary, will the no-right-turn onto the Reading Road at the other end of Oxford Road be removed to avoid half a mile extra driving down to, and around the Woosehill Roundabout to get into Wokingham.
Or are these restrictions are simply to reduce the number of cars at the crossing by increasing the distance, time and pollution and moving the delays to Molly Millars Road etc.?
And maybe simple schemes widening roads, for as little as 10 meters at junctions to allow left and right turn lanes would help save a few minutes everywhere. Spending the link road money on these small un-sexy schemes rather than the one ‘Grand Project’ could very well be much more cost efficient and effective in reducing overall delays.
24/01/2013 at 10:47 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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But why is it necessary to stop traffic turning from Wellington Road onto the Barkham Road. The council’s own video clip shows the problem is not traffic turning across the crossing delaying that turning up Station Road, but rather visa versa.
Similarly why prohibit the turn from Oxford Road up Station Road. If this is really necessary, will the no-right-turn onto the Reading Road at the other end of Oxford Road be removed to avoid half a mile extra driving down to, and around the Woosehill Roundabout to get into Wokingham.
Or are these restrictions are simply to reduce the number of cars at the crossing by increasing the distance, time and pollution and moving the delays to Molly Millars Road etc.?
And maybe simple schemes widening roads, for as little as 10 meters at junctions to allow left and right turn lanes would help save a few minutes everywhere. Spending the link road money on these small un-sexy schemes rather than the one ‘Grand Project’ could very well be much more cost efficient and effective in reducing overall delays.
24/01/2013 at 10:46 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Stationary traffic on the north side of the level crossing when it is closed is primarily formed by vehicles coming down Station Road wanting to cross into Barkham Road and vehicles on Wellington Road wanting to do the same. I don't understand how a road connecting the bottom of Station Road with Reading Road further towards the Woosehill roundabout is going to make any difference to this.
Happy to have this explained to me.
23/01/2013 at 15:50 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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23/01/2013 at 15:37 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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23/01/2013 at 09:27 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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