WOKINGHAM’S MP has entered the row over the new A329M junctions, demanding urgent answers and a solution to the ongoing traffic misery facing the borough’s commuters.
Even though Highways England has installed new signs to alert drivers to the carriageway changes, which sees the A329M become a single lane motorway with filter lanes to access the M4 junctions, there have been a string of incidents on the road.
Now, more roadworks are taking place in an attempt to iron out the problems.
Weather permitting, there will be further road closures on Monday, January 25.
In a letter Highways England sent to a reader, they said: “This is to make further improvements to the road marking and traffic sign strategy in order to better inform road users of the new road layout ie bringing the carriageway down to one lane.
“Once these measures have been implemented and the scheme has effectively ‘bedded-in’, late weaving manoeuvres should be eradicated and normal freeflow traffic conditions should return. Unfortunately when significantly changing road layouts the ‘bedding-in’ period can take months before full benefits can be realised.”
Writing on his blog, John Redwood, MP for Wokingham, shared the text of a letter he had sent to Jim O’Sullivan (Chief Executive of Highways England) explaining that the changes to the road has resulted in “regular complaints to me by my constituents” with safety and congestion being regular reasons for these gripes.
“As a matter of some urgency, I should be grateful to know what action Highways England is now taking to ensure the safety of those using junction 10,” he added. A reply from HE had not been received as we went to press.
Speaking to The Wokingham Paper, Mr Redwood said: “I am trying to get Highways England and Wokingham Borough to come to a solution, both to improve safety and traffic flows. The A329M is a Wokingham Borough Road and the M4 is a Highways England road, so they need to work together.
“I am not myself proposing a solution, as the Council and Highways England are the experts and they own the roads and the problem, so it is best if they think up and adopt a solution.
“I will keep everyone posted through my site as and when I get responses.”
Clarification – Highways England spokesman Stuart Miller would like to make it clear that he did not say that the comments by Councillor Keith Baker were untrue, as reported in our December 18 edition (A239M: It’s ‘Safe’ Say Road Bosses). He stated that the Highways England project manager’s correspondence was up to date and was not aware of any other correspondence taking place. Highways England added that it will address any concerns that Cllr Baker has if he contacts the project team directly.
