Thursday, August 12, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
Action planned for Finchampstead road EXCLUSIVE By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today ACTION has been promised following a campaign for road safety improvements spanning more than two years.
Flashing speed indicator signs will be installed along the A327 Reading Road in Finchampstead in October, 10 months after they were initially promised. Gareth Rees, who has been campaigning for improvements to the 40mph road, said he is optimistically hopeful the council will keep to its autumn date. “If I see them installing them in October, I’ll be making the workers cups of tea myself,” he said. Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways at the borough council, said the speed signs, which were due to be installed last Christmas, were delayed because they
require a permanent power supply. She said the borough council is also replacing the speed limit signs with “more effective” versions. These will be gateway signs, which may be more easily spotted by drivers. “We will also be using additional signs and road markings to visually narrow the road and discourage excessive speeds,” Cllr Jorgensen said. “Once traffic returns to normal and we are able to do a formal pedestrian crossing survey, we will be able to assess whether any additional measures are necessary.” Mr Rees said, in May last year, an independent review into the safety of the road for schoolchildren recommended a signal crossing close to the Tally Ho pub. It said the heavy traffic, and bend in the road meant a pedestrian crossing could help pupils cross the road to reach their bus stop.
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Since September 2016, some pupils at Bohunt Wokingham have been taking a taxi to school at the council’s expense, because the road was too unsafe to cross to reach the bus stop. Next month, 16 pupils are expected to continue using the taxi service. In an email from Martin Heath, road safety team manager at the borough council, he told Mr Rees a crossing in this spot would require extensive work on the path to create a power source. Mr Rees suggested doing this at the same time as installing the speed signs in two months time. “They’re doing it for the speed sings, they could make another point,” he said. “A crossing would make a significant improvement.” In October last year, Mr Rees built a computer programme that would Tweet when cars exceeded the speed limit along the 40mph stretch of road.
Pop-up talks exploitation THE FIRST of many pop-up events about signs of child exploitation started last month. Based in Woodley town centre, the borough council launched its Let’s Talk About X campaign on Saturday, July 31. It highlighted the risks of criminal and sexual exploitation, including county lines drug trafficking. Cllr Graham Howe, executive member for children’s services at the borough council said no one is immune to child exploitation. “It is vital that everyone who has contact with young people be aware of the signs so we can prevent further harm,” he said.
LET’S TALK: Lorraine Booth and Steph Pickles of the Wokingham Prevention and Youth Justice Service are ready to inform Picture: Steve Smyth
Crash on “dangerous” road A LORRY crashed into a car yesterday morning on the A327 Reading Road. The driver of an R Collard lorry was travelling south from Arborfield to Eversley along the A327 Reading Road, when they crashed with a blue car at approximately 9.30am. The car driver was pulling out of Park Lane. There was another crash at that junction on Monday, July 12, and on Friday, May 29, last year. The latter involved a BT van, which had its door ripped off.
Park and ride for Christmas TWO PARK and rides gear up to open in the coming year. Work is now underway on the £6.8 million hub in Winnersh Triangle, which should be complete by summer 2022. It will increase capacity by 500 spaces, including 12 for electric vehicles. The 250-space Coppid Beech site is on target to open in early December. Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport, said: “We want to encourage use of public transport as this limits congestion as well as producing less harmful emissions.”
