News

Traffic, sports, shopping and preserving Woodley’s heritage were the key topics at a series of feedback sessions at the town’s community forum
advertisement

Traffic tops the list of concerns at Woodley forum

November 12, 2012

Traffic, sports, shopping and preserving Woodley’s heritage were the key topics at a series of feedback sessions at the town’s community forum.

The forum was launched this summer to discuss the issues and impacts of new housing developments which have been planned for various sites around the town.

At the final workshop neighbours focussed on what impact the influx of extra cars could have on the town’s roads and car parks.

Plans for almost 300 homes at The University of Reading’s former Bulmershe campus in Woodlands Avenue were approved last month and permission has also been granted for 468 houses to be built on land at Sandford Farm.

Forum chairman Tom Clark said: “People have not heard a coherent answer on how the increase of traffic will be coped with.”

Speaking after the meeting Councillor Beth Rowland, leader of Woodley Town Council, added: “There isn’t land for more car parking in the town centre so I’ve no idea what could be done.

“I don’t want to see a multi-storey car park.”

Town centre manager Jacques Lherbier said: “I think in time it will be a legitimate concern that will need to be addressed.

“However at the moment the town council parking is sufficient.

“It has been getting busier in the library car park since Lidl arrived but it’s a nice problem to have.”

Cllr Keith Baker, borough council executive member for highways and planning, who also attended the session on Sunday, October 21, said: “Once car parks reach their full capacity on a regular basis we can’t do anything more and by that time the shops would be overflowing with customers.”

He added: “There was an assumption that 1,000 new homes would bring 2,000 cars which is, I think, unrealistic.

“There are a lot of things to encourage people to not use their cars and that will go some way to ease congestion – but it won’t completely remove it.

“We want the capacity of the road network to be sufficient for the increase in demand.”

With the feedback sessions finished, Mr Clark has noted four key topics that he will raise in the forum in the future – traffic, sports and leisure facilities, shopping and heritage.

Organisers of three workshops were underwhelmed with the public’s attendance but satisfied with their outcomes.

Mr Clark will next present a summary of the work to the borough and town councils in November in a meeting he hopes will be open to all residents.

“There I will layout what I see as the next steps and my hope is we will have debates on those four key areas in 2013,” he said.

| Submit Comments | View Comments (6)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 6 of 6

I think the major problem is that Wokingham push all their development onto Woodley and Shinfield so they can get the benefit of the council tax but the responsibility for the infrastructure is shoved into Readings court. Until The boundaries are changed this will never alter. This is why the town councillors will not vote against it and listen to the people. Simple answer! Don't elect them next time.

parlovero, reading
12/11/2012 at 16:23

And how about the University spending a little of the vast sums it is making from the planning consents being handed to it, on car parks to avoid the congestion on all the roads around it caused by parked vehicle left by its students and staff. But then they have little community awareness.

Bingley, Woodley
12/11/2012 at 15:35

@Bingley - that would involve listening to residents, which I think is frowned upon!

Smiffy, Reading
12/11/2012 at 13:51

Asked Councillor Baker to consider a new link road from Woodlands Avenue to relieve existing traffic congestion and the effects of the Bulmershe development. He dismissed it out of hand. So much for his lead role on Highways in Woodley.

Bingley, Woodley
12/11/2012 at 13:43

This is classic Wokingham being in denial? Why oh Why oh Why, you are spot on in saying that the reality is that most households are likely to have 2 cars. As the public transport links from Woodley are lousy thanks to fantastic investment from the local council, most people in Woodley rely on cars to travel. Why is it everyone but the lead councillor can see this?

I would be interested to know how many extra cars Keith Baker thinks 1000 new houses will bring? Even if it is only 1500, it is still a considerable number of extra cars on the local roads.

Why can't Wokingham Council actually do some real work and studies into genuine impacts rather relying on the plans created on the back of cigarette packets and the very outdated and arrogant thoughts of the lead councillors, who are very out of touch with reality.

Smiffy, Reading
12/11/2012 at 12:04

@ keith Baker. - Unrealistic to think that 1000 new homes wouldnt bring 2000 cars . Of course it would. Look at the demographics of our area for goodness sake.