West Berkshire Council has launched a series of consultations on their Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) and various Active Travel Schemes.

These proposals set out ambitious plans to improve conditions for walking and cycling journeys across the district to help make these modes of transport the default choices for local journeys.

As such, we would encourage everyone to take a look and have their say to ensure that we get the schemes right first time and address any concerns / issues at the outset.

LCWIP

The LCWIP provides a new, strategic and long-term approach to developing cycling and walking improvements, in line with the government’s Gear Change Strategy.

The Council has worked in partnership with SPOKES and other local stakeholders to identify priorities for cycling and walking infrastructure.

This first version of the LCWIP focuses on routes in Newbury and Thatcham. Eastern area settlements, such as Calcot, Pangbourne, Purley-on-Thames and Theale, have already been covered in the Reading LCWIP , which was prepared jointly with Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council, and adopted in 2019.

The LCWIP focuses on the main urban areas, which have the highest existing demand, and greatest future potential for increasing cycling and walking trips. However, the intention is for it to be a live document that can be expanded to include new developments, and journeys in and between more rural settlements.

The LCWIP process has a particular emphasis on utility journeys, such as commuting to work, and accessing education, healthcare or shops, but it also identifies leisure corridors to be developed. These were informed by public feedback from previous council consultations, and stakeholder comments.

A4 Proposals

The LCWIP has identified the A4 as a key active travel route for east-west journeys. The long-term ambition is to improve the whole A4 corridor, but the intention is to do this in sections and the Council is currently consulting on proposals for two key sections.

Crown Mead, Thatcham:

• Features kerb separated tracks on both sides of the A4.
• Removes the staggered pedestrian crossing island, which is currently a pinch point for cyclists, and replaces it with a single stream crossing.
• Installs raised entry treatments in side roads to slow down vehicles when turning.
• Reconfigures the layout of the bus stops to separate the cycleway from the footway and carriageway.

Western Avenue, Newbury:

• Reduces the width of the carriageway to provide space for segregated cycle tracks.
• Provides separate routes for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Widens the crossing islands to cater for dual usage.
• Replaces the staggered crossing with a single stream crossing and remove the staggered crossing island.
• Gives pedestrians and cyclists priority over side roads via raised road humps and parallel zebra and cycle crossings.

Active Streets

This has a number of components including:

Parking restrictions to improve active travel routes:

• Kiln Road / Turnpike Road, Newbury
• A343 Andover Road, Newbury
• A4 London Road, Newbury
• A4 Bath Road, Calcot
• Lower Way, Thatcham
• A4 Benham Hill, Thatcham

Lawrences Lane, Thatcham:

• Closes the route to through traffic
• Creates a quiet route for recreational access to the countryside

Deadman’s Lane, Theale:

• Stops motor vehicle access
• Creates a quiet route for recreational access to the countryside

Active Travel Heat Map:

• Provides a tool for you to identify locations in your neighbourhood where you would like to create more accessible streets, including better public spaces, secure cycle parking and high quality environments suitable for cycling and walking.

Calcot School Streets:

• Proposals for Royal Avenue and Curtis Road.
• Restricts motor vehicle access Monday to Friday during school term-time only to coincide with school pick-up and drop-off times.
• Creates pedestrian and cyclist zones around schools.