Wokingham has suffered a long run of road works, closures and partial closures. The work on the town centre has removed main road capacity around the town hall and blocked neighbouring roads. Meanwhile utility works, road works and new building works have led to many blocked lanes and temporary lights.
I have stressed to the senior officials at the Borough Council the need to avoid parallel closures where the alternative route is blocked at the same time. I have urged more new or replacement utility cables and pipes to be put in away from roads. I have requested speeding up road works by those disrupting the highway. Councillors, like me, are keen on changes that cut congestion.
I am also working with the Council on an improved strategic local network with more capacity and safer junctions, as we need more capacity to cope with expanding numbers. I have proposed a junction review to optimise layouts and ensure good traffic sensing tehnology to help move traffic through light sets more quickly.
June 17, 2018
I think we have to ask why is there an obvious dog leg in the Bell Foundry Lane section of the NWDR. Clearly Wokingham Council do not want to invest money in this section to improve traffic flow. I guess they will say that the Sewage Works is in the way. But it would have been possible to route the road around it but I guess they are trying to save initial cost by using as much of the existing road as possible with no thought for the long term cost of navigating a dog leg in terms of fuel cost, pollution and noise.
It would have been possible to link the new Bell Foundry roundabout directly to the Kentwood Farm roundabout with a gentle curve around the sewage works north point.
It is also interesting to note that the Council does not show it’s Development area on the route plan.