Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:  That the approach outlined in Travelling to Wokingham Town Centre – Our Vision for the Future, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be endorsed.

The Executive considered a report relating to a co-ordinated, strategic approach to travelling to Wokingham Town Centre to ensure that visitors would have a choice and flexibility in how they travel including a range of sustainable travel options.

The Executive Member for Planning and Highways informed the meeting that the report set out how there would a good quality environment for pedestrians, cyclists and space for motorists to park their cars.  He stressed that a really important aspect of the vision was that it set out how the Council intended to deliver choice, but that it had to be recognised that the car remained the primary means of travel for many people. The policy recognised that the Borough had the largest rate of car and second car ownership in the United Kingdom.

Members asked that as the document was developed further and specific proposals put forward in respect of measures such as cycle ways, that appropriate consultation was undertaken with schools and parents so that their local knowledge could be applied and possible unworkable routes identified at an early stage. Councillor Kaiser stated that a major element of the Vision was that it was not a straightjacketed policy and allowed for appropriate consultation.

Councillor Kaiser confirmed that as the Council moved forward with the Vision it would be considering the eventual position in 2026 by which point it was anticipated that the Northern Relief Road and Southern Distributor Road would have opened.  With regard to car parking around railway stations he referred to the proposed redevelopment of Carnival Pool and that it was also hoped that there might be a car parking development at Twyford Station.  With regards to Park and Ride facilities he commented that as they developed he felt that consideration should be given to them being multi-destination park and ride locations.

Various Members also made reference to the desirability where possible of ensuring clear physical separation between cyclists and motorists in the provision of cycle ways and that the cycle way along Lower Ealey Way was a good example of this.

RESOLVED:  That the approach outlined in Travelling to Wokingham Town Centre – Our Vision for the Future, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be endorsed.