BERKSHIRE Road Schemes

[DavidB]

Cow Lane to be made northbound only from Dec 11th for 7 months:

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readin ... y-13970598

In my opinion this will gridlock the IDR, Chatham Street and Castle Hill in the evening peaks. As one of the article's comments says, why can't the direction be changed to southbound in the evenings?

[Reading]

I was about to post this - utter madness

There is no alternative southbound route if a crash happens on the caversham rd side of the IDR without either going all around clockwise (which will have totally blocked within 15 minutes as proven recently) or going 10 miles west via Pangbourne toll bridge. Surely shutting the bridge to pedestrians and maintaining 2 way traffic for cars would be preferable especially as there is an alternative pedestrian route via scours lane/thames path

[ChrisH]

In my experience the queues are always longer southbound; and the impact would be less severe having the northbound route closed (distributed delay along Oxford, Tilehurst, Bath Roads rather than gridlock in central Reading). Yikes.

[DavidB]

Wokingham Borough Council has announced planning approval for the South Wokingham Distributor Road (SWDR), known as the Eastern Gateway:

http://news.wokingham.gov.uk/news/easte ... -approved/

(there's a link to an overview map at the bottom of the page)

[Reading]

Not a road scheme as such but.. be aware Mill Lane Bracknell (A3095) from Twin Bridges to the junction with Ringmead has just had it's speed limit reduced from NSL to 50mph - as this is a nice high quality D2 I foresee a good few speeding tickets - thought this thread most likely to be read by local posters

https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/busy- ... t-reduced/

[Micro The Maniac]

Not a road scheme as such but.. be aware Mill Lane Bracknell (A3095) from Twin Bridges to the junction with Ringmead has just had it's speed limit reduced from NSL to 50mph - as this is a nice high quality D2 I foresee a good few speeding tickets - thought this thread most likely to be read by local posters

The other end of the A3095 has been similarly down-graded, from where the Forester's Way becomes Rackstraw Road

I guess, given that it is S2 and this is where the road becomes more suburban rather than rural, it is less contentious, and is consistent with the wider malaise

But frankly, the A3095 needs upgrading to (a minimum of) D2 (and perhaps renumbering as an extension of the A331) all the way to the A329(M)

[mikehindsonevans]

Cow Lane to be made northbound only from Dec 11th for 7 months:

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readin ... y-13970598

In my opinion this will gridlock the IDR, Chatham Street and Castle Hill in the evening peaks. As one of the article's comments says, why can't the direction be changed to southbound in the evenings?

One year on and out of idle curiosity - how badly did this go?

[Vierwielen]

Your kidding me. Hopefully the large site doesn't make it in the local plan allocation. Why do we destroyed perfectly good high class roads by roundabouts. Why cant Grade separated junctions be built as in France and Spain.

This is the skill of the developer.

1. Major proposal sold to local council, outline only, on basis of additional property tax revenue, additional grants from central government which are based on population, compliance with government building targets, which in itself attracts additional government money, etc. It's a bonus for the councillors if the proposed development appears likely to attract residents who will vote the "right" way in future elections.

2. Developer writes up cost of grade separated and roundabout junctions, and tells council it now looks unviable if grade separation is required. Extra £50m and no additional developer revenue. Miraculously, money was available for the councillors' favourite Section 106 Agreement projects to be incorporated. Developer has another competing proposal in another council area, competing for their funds, for which plans are casually shown to councillors. Council starts to worry and asks for reports.

3. Developer goes to "independent" traffic planning consultancy (paid for by developer) who miraculously produces traffic flow plan which shows roundabouts will have no impact.

4. Council says "Phew, that's alright then".

Sounds like the BREXIT negotiations.
Smack hand - no politics in this thread.

[Reading]

Cow Lane to be made northbound only from Dec 11th for 7 months:

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readin ... y-13970598

In my opinion this will gridlock the IDR, Chatham Street and Castle Hill in the evening peaks. As one of the article's comments says, why can't the direction be changed to southbound in the evenings?

One year on and out of idle curiosity - how badly did this go?

They gave up went with 2 way with traffic lights which is still in operation with little idea of an end date
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-b ... e-44680344
Drove through it just pre xmas and looks a long way from completion

[mikehindsonevans]

Cow Lane to be made northbound only from Dec 11th for 7 months:

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readin ... y-13970598

In my opinion this will gridlock the IDR, Chatham Street and Castle Hill in the evening peaks. As one of the article's comments says, why can't the direction be changed to southbound in the evenings?

One year on and out of idle curiosity - how badly did this go?

They gave up went with 2 way with traffic lights which is still in operation with little idea of an end date
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-b ... e-44680344
Drove through it just pre xmas and looks a long way from completion

Thanks for posting the BBC News link - wow, that will be a worthwhile improvement when finished. Mike

[A303Chris]

They gave up went with 2 way with traffic lights which is still in operation with little idea of an end date
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-b ... e-44680344
Drove through it just pre xmas and looks a long way from completion

I went through on Sunday to Red Kangaroo on Portman Road, and took 15 minutes to get through the lights southbound at 11am and 10 minutes to go through northbound at 1.30pm. Hate to think what rush hour is!!!.

However when I went through it's a long way from being finished, the BBC article from July indicated 6 months and early 2019, i.e January. According to this latest article, early 2019 is March. Still can't see that being met either.

[Euan]

Do the traffic lights allowing two-way traffic through the tunnel make the road any quicker than it was while only open northbound or does the congestion leading up to the traffic lights make it even slower than before?

[A303Chris]

Do the traffic lights allowing two-way traffic through the tunnel make the road any quicker than it was while only open northbound or does the congestion leading up to the traffic lights make it even slower than before?

Currently it's even slower than before as the length of the single lane working is triple the length it used to be under the old bridge. As a result longer all red period thus longer queues. It's made worse as the Cardiff Road junction and entrance to the Network Rail depot are within the lights but the side roads are not signaled controlled, so vehicles pull out into traffic affecting capacity further.

[oasis]

https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/roa ... y-dualling

The remaining single-carriageway section of the A322 Downshire Way is to be dualled through Bracknell. Work due to commence tomorrow (18 February 2019).

[Micro The Maniac]

https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/roa ... y-dualling

The remaining single-carriageway section of the A322 Downshire Way is to be dualled through Bracknell. Work due to commence tomorrow (18 February 2019).

The improvement scheme will also remove the signalised bus gate and introduce new traffic signals at the junction with Old Bracknell Lane West.

Excellent... make it dual carriageway, then stick some traffic lights half way along it.

Surely, it would make sense to simply have a LILO with Old Bracknell Lane West - after all, the stretch being dualled is one mile in length, with roundabouts at each end... not exactly a major detour?

[A303Chris]

https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/roa ... y-dualling

The remaining single-carriageway section of the A322 Downshire Way is to be dualled through Bracknell. Work due to commence tomorrow (18 February 2019).

The improvement scheme will also remove the signalised bus gate and introduce new traffic signals at the junction with Old Bracknell Lane West.

Excellent... make it dual carriageway, then stick some traffic lights half way along it.

Surely, it would make sense to simply have a LILO with Old Bracknell Lane West - after all, the stretch being dualled is one mile in length, with roundabouts at each end... not exactly a major detour?

More like only 1/2 a mile, but lets not forget this is the main alternative route from the M4 to M25 south of the M3 missing the congested Heathrow section. It currently is taking higher flows given the M4 smart motorway works, so lets put major roadworks on a route which is taking traffic away from major roadworks

[Euan]

The A322 in the centre of Bracknell must get really congested given that traffic from the dual carriageways at either end will need to converge into just one lane each way, and the rest of the dualled inner ring road goes a bit out of the way to be useful for A322 through traffic.

[Reading]

Do the traffic lights allowing two-way traffic through the tunnel make the road any quicker than it was while only open northbound or does the congestion leading up to the traffic lights make it even slower than before?

Currently it's even slower than before as the length of the single lane working is triple the length it used to be under the old bridge. As a result longer all red period thus longer queues. It's made worse as the Cardiff Road junction and entrance to the Network Rail depot are within the lights but the side roads are not signaled controlled, so vehicles pull out into traffic affecting capacity further.

And finally the road part is complete (still working on pedestrain & cycle path)

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readi ... e-15873036

[Micro The Maniac]

Not exactly hot on the heals of the Shinfield diversion, the next "relief route" on the A327, at Arborfield has secured additional Government funding.

https://www.ukconstructionmedia.co.uk/n ... lief-road/

In amongst the usual waffle, the final paragraph gives away the justification:

And finally, the relief road is expected to boost employment by unlocking a major housing development that will lead to the construction of 3,500 new homes at Arborfield Garrison.

Locally, there have been calls for a by-pass for years - especially when the army were lugging heavy vehicles into the barracks - but this was always turned down - now that the barracks have been vacated......

[DavidB]

There's more about the Arborfield Relief Road (including a zoomable map) on the Wokingham Borough Council site:

http://news.wokingham.gov.uk/news/counc ... ongestion/