PARENTS are angry that vegetation has won out over education after the council performed a dramatic U-turn over plans to build a safe cycle path to the borough’s new secondary school.
And the Liberal Democrat leader is hoping to challenge the decision, which is alleged to have been made in secret.
Under the new plans, instead of extending a route along Nine Mile Ride, the council is now suggesting pupils should use Byway 18 – an isolated, narrow country lane alongside Hogwood Industrial Estate that is surrounded by ditches and vegetation.
We have been contacted by parents who are adamant that the route is not safe for their children to use and that they feel betrayed by the council over the U-turn.
Originally, Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) had planned to create the cycle route along Nine Mile Ride and, at the Executive meeting of January 26, confirmed that the plans for road improvements would be completed by September this year.
Now it is proposing that the safe route will connect the FBC Centre to Arborfield via California Country Park.
Cllr Malcolm Richards, WBC’s executive member for highways and transport said: “This enhanced footway will give Finchampstead pupils a safe route to walk to the new Bohunt School and will give the local community a better footway to walk around Finchampstead.”
However, the news about the change of plan was leaked last week by Cllr Ian Pittock, who represents Finchampstead South.
He said he was furious with the council leadership for making this decision, calling on them to “reverse that decision immediately”.
“They didn’t even think to discuss it with local members who are closer to local residents and can see both sides of the argument. They didn’t even phone me to discuss it with us – they left it to an official to tell us.
“The decision was made by [leader of the council] Keith Baker and Malcolm Richards behind closed doors.”
Cllr Pittock said that it was “absolutely essential that there was a safe route along Nine Mile Ride”, adding that he was concerned by the decisions made by WBC.
“I feel stabbed in the back and let down by the leadership. This is just plain wrong,” he said.
Watch: What Byway 18 is currently like
Video produced by WiltshireByways – Wokingham Borough Council are promising to improve the byway
Parents’ concerns over Nine Mile Ride route
Parents have also been in touch to raise their concerns at the council’s change of heart.
Lloyd Watkins, a member of the Bohunt Parent Forum who challenged the executive at the January 26 meeting, said: “It’s a rotten decision.
“The [announcement] has not subdued my concern, it lacks detail on speed limits and traffic calming and lacks detail on road crossings. We need the answers to those matters before parents will accept that the Council has delivered the minimum standard for a safe route.”
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Jane Wu, who has a daughter at the Bohunt School, said: “It’s really disappointing. The buses are terribly unreliable.
“We were led to believe the cycle path would be in place, we absolutely wanted her to cycle to school.
“The greenway is not a safe route, it’s very isolated area with lots of undergrowth. It’s not safe for my daughter.”
And Dave Bedford added: “Apparently, an hour’s walk to school is considered acceptable, or children travelling in a succession of cars is deemed an acceptable situation for a town which already has congestion issues before all the additional houses are completed.
“This is a huge concern. The school is intended to release the pressure on Finchampstead and be a main feeder school but will well be rejected by people simply because of the decision made by WBC in secret without consulting anyone.”
Criticism for the council has also come from opposition parties.
Cllr Lindsay Ferris, the leader of Wokingham’s Liberal Democrats: “This is yet another decision taken in secret without consultation with local residents. It also breaks a promise made by senior Conservative Councillors that the cycle path along Nine Mile ride would be provided for the commencement of the Autumn Term in September 2017. Can they be trusted any more?
“There will now be no dedicated cycle route to the school, instead youngsters will be left to the dangers of a busy road for a significant part of their ride to school. This is totally unacceptable and all measures possible should be made to provide this cycle path and pressure put on the individuals to change their decision.
“I shall investigate whether this is one of those decisions where we may be able to ‘Call In’ this despicable act.”
And independent councillor for Arborfield, Cllr Gary Cowan, promised to work with Cllr Pittock in challenging the decision.
He said: “Sadly nothing surprises me. First no reduction in speed limits on the safe routes to the school but now reneging on conditions to provide a safe walking/cycling route along a rural road that will just get busier as the Garrison is built denies pupils their ability to enjoy a healthy environment and actually puts children’s lives at risk if they do walk or cycle to school is one step too far.
“I am happy to work with Cllr Ian Pittock and Lloyd Watkins to have this decision overturned. Shame on you Wokingham Borough Council.”
Update promised
Since this article appeared in The Wokingham Paper of February 16, 2017, Cllr Ian Pittock has been working on the issue.
In a letter published in the February 23, 2017 edition, he promised to have more news on the scheme for next week’s Wokingham Paper.
