Phase two to begin

Published 10 Dec 2009 09:00 Comments 1 Comment

See also:

CAVERSHAM Park Village residents are set to gain from an improved network of roads and footpaths when work begins on phase two of the £250,000 local area enhancement scheme.

The focus is on Lowfield Road with Reading Borough Council installing chicanes to slow traffic, dropped kerbs and tactile paving at some junctions.

The project will also include a road island closer to the Lowfield Road crossing and parking restrictions at junctions to give drivers leaving side roads a better view.

Access to Micklands School will also be improved, with a village footpath running from Lowfield Road.

The catalogue of improvements was drawn up on the results of a survey carried out among Peppard ward residents in February and March.

Cllr Mark Ralph said: "This is a local initiative for local people. The input received from the questionnaires has directly influenced the changes."

Phase two should have imposed weight restrictions on Lowfield Road which would have forced heavy goods vehicles to use Caversham Park Road but this has been deferred, because Cllr Ralph says HGVs using Caversham Park Road to go north would have difficulties getting onto Peppard Road because of the sharp turn at the Kiln Road junction.

He says the alternatives would be to join Caversham Park Road and Peppard Road, or install a roundabout serving Peppard Road, Kiln Road and Caversham Park Road by clearing unused land at the Kiln Road junction.

The stumbling block is the option would eat up the entire phase two budget. It could be included in phase three, on which residents will again be consulted.

The council's 2005 North Area Access Study identified Caversham Park Village as a priority for traffic, transport and pedestrianisation initiatives.

In December 2005 more than £300,000 was earmarked for new improvements which brought a new pelican crossing, roundabout, pedestrian refuges, bus stops and footpaths in Buckingham Drive and Northbrook Road.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 10 Dec 09

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Dudley Travelodge
Unregistered User
Dec 11, 01:34
Report comment

The problem of HGVs on Lowfield Road has only arisen as a result of the placing of chicanes on Caversham Park Road. Even the buses have trouble getting through them and they are a hazard to cyclists.

The easy solution is to bulldoze the chicanes and if necessary round off the junction of CP Road and Kiln Road slightly.

Why should the council waste tax payers' money by spending heavily on rectifying problems of their own making?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle