I have started a consultation on my website www.johnredwood.com about how the local Highways Authority might cut congestion, improve traffic flows and road safety by making some changes to our local junctions and road network.
I will share the best ideas with the Council who are looking at how they can improve things for people wanting to get about to go to work, to take children to school, to go shopping or for leisure trips.
Each successful scheme will of course need working up and placing into a plan of works by Council officers, but each journey starts with a first step.
Some of the things that could help us are relatively cheap and quick to do. Altering the phasing of lights for example, or putting in better systems of traffic recognition to allow light changes in response to vehicle demand would be helpful in some cases.
Painting better lines and lanes and directions might assist at some junctions.
Reviewing parking on highways to allow sufficient parking, but to prevent parking on busy roads in ways which take out a lane and impede traffic flows could also assist.
Where new stretches of highway are being built, connecting them by roundabouts to the existing road network will normally produce better results.
The Council has an agreed programme of works to build the Winnersh, Shinfield and Arborfield bypasses, expand the Loddon bridge end of the Earley Peripheral road, and complete new roads around Wokingham to the north east and south east.
I will ask the Council to look again at parking rules and enforcement in Wokingham.
I want more people to come in and use the shops, restaurants, bars and cafes that we have.
They need to be able to park near the centre for a sufficient period of time to enjoy say shopping and a meal, or get their hair done as well as buy a few items.
Two hours maximum may leave people on edge, worried they may overrun.
There have been some cases of sharp enforcement of the parking rules, and some uncertainty for people over where for example you can park on a bank holiday or Sunday.
Parking enforcement should be there to stop people blocking entrances and carriageways, and preventing people parking all day in spaces designed for shoppers or visitors. It would be good if there was a system of paying for how long you park rather than having to judge in advance how long you need to provide for and get the ticket time right on arrival.
