MOST borough residents will be aware of the new road layout at California Cross, Finchampstead.
It has been widely discussed in recent weeks, its contrasting coloured areas instead of traditional road markings even making national news.
Opinion about it is divided, but it’s a development that we should be embracing says WATCH Wokingham (Wokingham Active Travel Community Hub) a group that campaigns for walkers and cyclists, and which runs Kiddical Mass cycle rides attended by hundreds of families in the borough.
WATCH is regularly consulted by Wokingham Borough Council on matters of active travel, and was represented at All Saints Church’s Earth Fayre at the weekend.
Member of the group Adrian Betteridge, said: “Some places in the borough are difficult to walk and cycle, as I’m hearing from some visitors to the Earth Fayre.
“California Cross, on the other hand, is an example of somewhere that has been redesigned to be genuinely equal for pedestrians, cyclists, and vulnerable road users – as well as cars.
“It has been interesting to see the backlash from people, primarily car drivers, to a scheme which doesn’t give them clear rules and allow them to drive at whatever speed they want through the junction.”
Adrian says that while there aren’t many such schemes yet in the UK, there are large numbers on the continent where in the past 10 years countries have embraced the concept of shared space and are prioritising active travel.
“The UK is still having a discussion with itself about whether that is a good idea or not,” he said.
“It’s very interesting to see the level of reaction when a scheme like this is brought in.
“Opinions do seem to be fairly polarised, with some thinking the redesign is terrible, and others who say it’s wonderful and they’re very pleased.
“My personal view is that this is the future, and that we need more of this kind of development to restore some balance to our society and to make sure that it’s not entirely dominated by the car.
“In many cases whole communities are completely severed – quite literally – by the car, the A329M being an example.”
Adrian says that in 2015 it was agreed that California Cross was dominated by vehicles, and that something needed to be done.
“Borough councillors, parish councillors, and local shop owners all decided 10 years ago that they wanted a shared space scheme,” he said.
“This is what has been delivered – exactly what people said they wanted.
“There is a community of people who think this is the right thing to have done, and I think we need to give it a few weeks or months to see how things settle down.
“As someone who campaigns to make the roads safer and more attractive to cyclists, I believe there is a need to roll out more of these sorts of schemes.”
For information, visit WATCH Wokingham’s Facebook page, www.kidicalmassreading.co.uk and www.wokingham.gov.uk/roads/road-maintenance/california-cross
