Update on Wokingham Borough Council’s highways programme

I have received this update from Wokingham Borough Council:

Wokingham Borough Council takes another step forward in its fight against congestion as its major highways project reaches another milestone with the final section of the North Wokingham Distributor Road (NWDR) receiving planning permission.

Once complete, the full NWDR, which is scheduled to open in its entirety to traffic in autumn 2021, will connect the A329 near the BP garage on Reading Road, with the A329(M) Reading to Bracknell motorway near the Coppid Beech roundabout junction. It will provide a link from Winnersh to the A329(M) enabling road-users direct access without the need to go through Wokingham town centre which will also help to alleviate congestion in the town centre.

Sections of the NWDR are already operational, with other sections due to commence construction shortly.  The construction on the final section of the NWDR, referred to as Ashridge Farm, planned to start in Autumn 2020 and detailed design work is already underway. Site preparation and utilities re-routing works begin later this autumn.

When complete, the new road will provide access to the developments at Matthewsgreen, Kentwood Farm and Keephatch Beech and provide these areas with convenient and direct access to the motorway network giving access to both the A329 (M) and the M4.   It will also provide a link from Winnersh (A329 Reading Road) to the Coppid Beach Roundabout with the A329(M).

“We are building vital new strategic roads and carrying out significant highway improvements which will help facilitate growth in the borough and alleviate congestion,” said Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport.

“We are committing substantial investment, secured from developers, in a wide range of infrastructure, including new schools, open spaces, sports, leisure and community facilities, and roads, amounting to nearly £1 billion of investment”.

NWDR is part of the council’s  major highways project that also consists of South Wokingham Distributor Road, Winnersh Relief Road, Arborfield Relief Road and Barkham Bridge, as well as the completed Shinfield Eastern Relief Road, all of which are being built to minimise the impact of traffic growth around the new housing developments and surrounding areas.

For further information on the major highways project visit the council’s website and search major new roads