WOKINGHAM Liberal Democrats are “demanding better” from the borough council following last month’s planning meeting.
On Tuesday, May 18, the committee voted in favour of a range of proposals which will see 1,600 new homes built south of the railway line.
The committee also voted to extend the South Wokingham Distributor Road (SWDR), which caused a debate about active travel to dominate the evening.
The proposal for the new highway includes a three metre wide, combined cycleway and footpath, which prompted a host of objections.
Cllr Rachelle Shepherd-Dubey, ward councillor for Winnersh and shadow planning and enforcement executive, said: “Lib Dems tried to get the council at the planning committee meeting to comply with the safer segregated two-metre cycle and two-metre pedestrian paths.
“We asked Wokingham Borough Council to stretch to the new Government guidelines [rather] than settling for an old worn standard which forces pedestrians to share space with cyclists.”
In July 2020, the Government revealed it wants to see 50% of short journeys made on foot or by bike within the next 10 years.
READ MORE: HOUSING: Planning committee approves 1,600 new homes for South Wokingham
Cllr Shepherd-Dubey added: “We would like to encourage cycling and walking to meet the council’s climate emergency declaration.
“Make it safer for both pedestrians and cyclists to be healthier and produce less climate change.”
But Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport, said the scheme will deliver “excellent infrastructure” to the town.
“We have been working on this scheme since 2014, the designs met the latest standards at the time, and have been assessed for safety by independent organisations,” she said.
READ MORE: ‘Build safer cycling routes now’ say Wokingham campaigners
According to the councillor, to separate the cycleway and walkway, 15% more land would be needed as well as an additional £2 million.
“It’s very easy for a councillor to demand changes to schemes which are already far through the design phase without regard to the cost to our taxpayers, instead of looking into the scheme to see how much of a benefit it is to the local community,” Cllr Jorgensen added.
“The Council, led by the Conservatives, is getting on with delivering for our residents, and I suggest that the Opposition work with us on this, rather than against us.”
