Traffic changes to the Oxford Road: what do you think?

The Oxford Road is in a bit of an odd position at the moment, with is being shut just around the corner from where I live.  There is very little traffic but, as you know, this is not the norm.  The Oxford Road is currently a major arterial route from the west but changes are afoot!

In 2015 the second Cow Lane bridge will be completed meaning buses and lorries will be able to use Portman Road and Richfield Avenue when travelling from the west.  There will no longer be the current bottle neck controlled by traffic lights.  Traffic will be able to move freely.  Pedestrians and cyclists will have a dedicated route alongside the road so there will be safe access to Richfield Avenue.  It will be very different.

So what about the Oxford Road?  Ahead of 2015 Battle councillors have been part of the Oxford Road Corridor Study looking at how the Oxford Road can be changed for ther better.  On Tuesday the Traffic Management Sub-Committee approved a report to allow consultation to go ahead on changes to the Oxford Road and surrounding areas traffic flow.  The proposals are as follows:

The proposals consist of the following (taken from the full report here):-

'Cow Lane bridges - associated network improvements

• Potential downgrade of the road classification of Oxford Road between Chatham Street and Norcot Road and re-designate the A239 to Richfield Avenue, Cow Lane and Portman Road.

• Strategic signing review including freight routing in consultation with the Highways Agency

• Richfield Avenue – right turn approach lane improvements to Caversham Road roundabout

• Portman Road/Cow Lane/Beresford Rd junction improvements and review of bus gate/6’6” restrictions

• Portman Road/Norcot Road approach lane improvements 

Identified Oxford Road corridor improvements – Phase 1 & 2

• Oxford Road between Chatham Place and Norcot Road – On carriageway cycle lanes/symbols – Phase 1

• Oxford Road approach to Norcot Road roundabout – bus lane  – Phase 1

• Oxford Road westbound approach to Bedford Road – bus lane  – Phase 1

• Oxford Road eastbound approach to Bedford Road – approach lane modifications to improve cycle access to existing bus lane  – Phase 1

• Possible 20mph Zone/Limit – Phase 2

• Review of existing turning manoeuvres - Phase 2

4.6 The proposals to downgrade the road classification of Oxford Road will result in a change to the current inspection regime to now take place quarterly. However, the maintenance regime will remain the same. The same process took place when the A33 Relief Road was opened and the Basingstoke Road was downgraded.

4.7 The second phase of the area study will commence upon completion of the Cow Lane works to ensure the most up to date traffic patterns are captured. The second phase will focus on existing turning manoeuvres and speed limits and parking restrictions.'

There will also be environmental improvements such as new trees.  These proposals will go out to public consultation shortly and I'll let you know when that happens.

This, alongside the £1.6 million Battle councillors secured for the area from the Battle Hospital re-development, means the next few years are going to be very interesting and exciting!

You don't have to vote Green to be green.

I believe green and  environmental issues are very important so was very pleased when Reading & District Labour Party announced it's Green Policy Forum.  I haven't made it to a meeting yet but hope to do so in the near future.  I try and do what I can to help our environment as you can see by reading through some of my past posts but there is always room for improvement.  

 I look forward to seeing  what comes out of these meetings.

Reading & District Labour Party Media Release 

22 March 2012

Labour is talking about Green Policies

The first meeting of Reading and District Labour Party’s Green Policy Forum took place on 21^st March, attended by members of the public, Labour Party members, and Paul Gittings, the Lead Councillor for environmental matters. The meeting identified a wide range of topics that could be addressed by the Forum, but decided to work initially on a short list - getting developers to provide district heating schemes, using coppice to provide fuel for heating public buildings, systems that encourage green modes of transport, the relationship between health and environmental factors, and creating a vision of more locally focused commerce.

Forum organiser Roger Sym was very pleased with the start made by the Forum and will be arranging further meetings through the rest of the year. If you have ideas on recycling, saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, or other green policies, this is a chance for you to get them put into practice.

The next meeting will be at RISC (35-39 London Street, Reading RG1 4PS) in Room 3, on Wednesday 16^th May, starting at 8pm.

Getting involved - Transport

On Thursday (3 November) the Transport Management Advisory Panel (TMAP) meets at 6.30 in the Council Chamber.  The first hour of this meeting is open to public participation like the former Transport Users Forum was.  Member of the public can ask questions on transport related issues.  There is quite often a presentation and discussion following.  Anyone can come along to this meeting.

Completely free disabled travel returns to Reading!

I wrote a post in March about the awful treatment of Readings disabled bus users who were notified they would no longer get free travel before 9.30 on the day the change came into force.  Naturally people were outraged, including many Battle residents I spoke to.

This time I am writing a happier post as around 5000 letters go out to disabled bus users and their travel companions to confirm free travel, in Reading, before 9.30 will be reinstated from September 19.