Wokingham

Pupils at The Holt School and The Forest School will be freewheeling home along improved cycle paths after Wokingham District Council’s decision-making executive approved a cycle scheme recommended by its highways consultative board. At their meeting last night (Thursday March 30), members of the executive agreed a scheme to redesignate parts of the footway along the A329 Reading Road as shared-use paths for both cyclists and pedestrians.

The north footway of the A329 Reading Road, between Holt Lane and The Terrace, is now to be redesignated as a cycle track along which pedestrians also have a right of way. It is a popular route for cyclists coming into Wokingham town centre from Winnersh, and for pupils at The Holt travelling to and from school. As the path is already wide enough to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, the only cost is for new signs – a cost estimated at £500.

The south footway of the A329 Reading Road, between Winnersh Grove and a point opposite house 311 Reading Road, is also to be redesignated as a cycle track to be shared with pedestrians. This section links two existing lengths of cycle track along the road, providing an uninterrupted track along a route used by many cyclists to ride from Winnersh to Wokingham, as well as by pupils at The Forest School. The work will involve clearing some overgrown vegetation from the track and resigning it. The total cost of this is estimated at £500.

Corporate head of Wokingham environment services Mark Moon said: “This route is a popular one for cyclists, and the proposed improvements will improve the facilities for people travelling by bicycle, particularly pupils travelling to and from the Holt and Forest Schools. The scheme will link up existing facilities and should make life easier for cyclists and drivers alike.”

Wokingham District Council