Earlier this year, West Berkshire Council asked Spokes for their priorities for cycle schemes and other transport improvements that would deliver benefits for cyclists.

We’re delighted to say that the Council has responded positively on many of these and will even be constructing some of them in the current financial year, including the extension of the Newbury town centre 20mph zone.

Other schemes require further investigation such as:

• Exempting cyclists from one-way restrictions, e.g. Mansion House Street and Wharf Street.
• Giving cyclists priority over side roads, e.g. on the Thatcham Northern Distributor Road and on the A4 at B&Q
• Widening the southern footway of the A4 opposite Martingale Chase and converting it to shared use

However, some of our biggest priorities were knocked back, including:

• Provision of a cycle route on the A4 between Lower Way and Turnpike Road
• Improving the canal towpath between Hambridge Road and Thatcham Station.

These are really important links in the cycle route network, so we will keep up the pressure and push for these to be reconsidered.