One of the council’s active travel remains incomplete, six months after councils were asked to swiftly make significant changes to their roads to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians.

Planned cycle road markings on Christchurch Road have not been finished due to ‘utility works’, while the other schemes have are now complete.

Reading Borough Council (RBC) received £221,240 in July in the first round of Department for Transport (DfT) funding for schemes aimed at helping with social distancing, less than the amount it had initially been allocated.

The nationwide scheme to help with social distancing during the Covid pandemic was announced on May 9, and councils were urged to speedily introduce significant changes to roads, with a promised that funding would follow.

Nine schemes were initially planned, but one of these schemes, on London Road, was later ‘put on hold’ and moved into tranche two due to the limited funding.

READ MORE: London Road cycling lanes ‘effectively on hold’

The council pushed ahead with eight schemes and seven of these have now been completed – although one has since been removed.

Two types of schemes have been implemented:

1. Re-allocating road space for cycle lanes

Reading Bridge

Southampton Street, Silver Street and Mount Pleasant

Sidmouth Street

Whitley Street

Oxford Road (Tilehurst)

2. Cycle markings painted on roads

Oxford Road (Norcot to town centre)

Redlands Road

Additonally, a one-way system on Gosbrook Road and Westfield Road  was completed in late August but was then scrapped just one week later, after causing traffic chaos.

READ MORE: ‘Horror’ Caversham one-way system scrapped by council after just one week

Officers will  review each temporary tranche one scheme in early 2021 and hold public consultations before deciding whether to make any of them permanet.

Are there more schemes coming?

Yes. There is a second round of DfT funding, which is for long-term schemes.

The council has bid for £4 million worth of schemes but had only been allocated indicative funding of £1.18 million.

READ MORE: Reading Borough Council announces plans for phase two of Active Travel Bid

However, the council is hopeful it can get more than the indicative amount.

The update on the schemes was revealed in a report ahead of a Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport committee meeting.

The DfT have confirmed an announcement on the second tranche funding is imminent, and a further update will be given at the meeting or in an addendum to the report if received earlier.