Question:
Under an S106 agreement with Taylor Wimpey entered into in 2014, provision was made for a footpath along the lower section of Hyde End Lane, to allow pedestrians to walk safely from the new estates around Fullbrook Avenue to Oakbank School and Ryeish Green leisure centre.
Hyde End Lane is a one-way rural lane, with no footway, used as an exit route from the new estates towards the M4, locally judged to be dangerous.
The cost of the path was to be shared between Taylor Wimpey and WBC. Taylor Wimpey installed their section earlier this year and we understand that they offered to compete the path in return for a notional payment from WBC. This suggestion was declined.
There is considerable local anger that the path is incomplete. A petition with 400 signatures has been gathered locally. The Council's failure to complete the path was the lead story in Wokingham Today on 28 September. Could the Executive member for Active Travel, Transport and Highways say when the work will be undertaken and give an undertaking that the path will be completed at the very latest by the beginning of the new school term, which is 4 January 2024?
Minutes:
Question:
Under an S106 agreement with Taylor Wimpey entered into in 2014, provision was made for a footpath along the lower section of Hyde End Lane, to allow pedestrians to walk safely from the new estates around Fullbrook Avenue to Oakbank School and Ryeish Green leisure centre.
Hyde End Lane is a one-way rural lane, with no footway, used as an exit route from the new estates towards the M4, locally judged to be dangerous.
The cost of the path was to be shared between Taylor Wimpey and WBC. Taylor Wimpey installed their section earlier this year and we understand that they offered to compete the path in return for a notional payment from WBC. This suggestion was declined.
There is considerable local anger that the path is incomplete. A petition with 400 signatures has been gathered locally. The Council's failure to complete the path was the lead story in Wokingham Today on 28 September. Could the Executive member for Active Travel, Transport and Highways say when the work will be undertaken and give an undertaking that the path will be completed at the very latest by the beginning of the new school term, which is 4 January 2024?
Answer:
Thank you, Catherine, for your question.
The hybrid planning application from 2013 was approved for up to 900 dwellings with associated infrastructure. This included a new school and footway connections to it, but not a footway on this section of Hyde End Lane.
We understand why there is local demand for the footway link. Unfortunately, the route crosses land that is not highway and is not owned by the Council, which makes it difficult. There are further complications due to the expansion of the nuclear exclusion zone which has delayed a decision on the school. The Council is having to negotiate legal agreements and other permissions. All of these things are barriers to providing a path quickly. However, we do think a temporary solution could be delivered and as such we are looking at steps to deliver this as soon as reasonably practical. We have already taken action to improve safety, including additional signing and clearance of the highway verge.
It remains my intention to facilitate a solution as soon as reasonably practicable, I will be happy to keep you informed of progress.
Supplementary Question:
The solution is going to require funding. I understand that in the last 2/3 years housing developments in Shinfield including Spencers Wood must have generated several million pounds in CIL money. Would the Executive Member for Active Travel, Transport and Highways agree that it would be fair and reasonable to spend a small amount of this, something like 1/1000th,on providing 90m of footpath to keep people safe?
Supplementary Answer:
Subject to permissions being granted, as we do not own the land and we do not know where the funding is going to come from at the present time, it is going to be in the mix and negotiations that are undertaken whilst we work through this with our partners.
At this point in the meeting Councillor Prue Bray proposed that 4.2.12m be moved to suspend standing order 4.2.10.8 to allow all Member questions to be put. This was seconded by Councillor Stephen Conway. Upon being put to the vote this was agreed.