A new shortcut to the M4 and A329M from Crowthorne and Finchampstead is open today and it seriously speeds up access to the motorway.
So long as it’s not the school run or the rush hour, motorists can now expect to reach the M4/A329M junction from Squire’s Garden Centre on Heathlands Road in less than nine minutes.
For anyone in Crowthorne and Nine Mile Ride wanting to avoid Jennett’s Park and Peacock Lane to reach the A329M, the M4, North Wokingham, Binfield, Heathlands Road is now the way to go.
On the afternoon of Friday May 29, the new link road connecting Easthampstead Road (and Heathlands) in the South to Waterloo Road and William Heelas way in the North West opened.
Effectively it connects Finchampstead, Crowthorne, Nine Mile Ride and Wokingham Without to St Crispins, Coppid Beeches, the A329M and the M4 and has a 30mph speed limit.
Whilst the connection from Wokingham Tesco and Molly Millar’s Lane is not yet complete, the new link road from Heathlands – the first part of the South Wokingham Distributor Road project to be completed. is already a useful shortcut.
The road boasts wide verges and a shared footway/cycleway and is intended to help to separate vehicles from pedestrians and cyclists.
According to the council, the ‘tree-lined’ route is intended to make it clear that it is a residential area so will help to manage vehicle speeds.
The journey times are notable as the LDRS experimented in their own car how long the journeys would now take.
Now, from Crowthorne Station the A329M at Coppid Beaches Roundabout takes only 12 and a half minutes.
From Dukes Ride (Crowthorne) to Coppid Beeches takes 10 and a half minutes.
From Nine Mile Ride to Coppid Beeches along Heathlands Road takes seven and a half minutes.
From Squires Garden Centre (in Heathlands Road) to Coppid Beeches takes six minutes.
From Holme Grange craft village to Coppid Beeches takes only 5 minutes.
From Squires to the M4/A329M junction only takes eight and a half minutes.
NB: These times were measured on a Saturday afternoon, and journeys may take significantly longer during the school run or the rush hour.
