The Cycle Forum on 4th December focused mainly on the LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan) that the Council have now submitted in draft form to the DfT for funding.
This plan, if funded and implemented, would make substantial improvements for cycling and walking over the next 10 years with a number of new routes. The plans are in their draft stages, and the difficult part comes with how to provide good quality cycling routes in the places where they are needed.
With the Council’s continued failure to provide adequate and legally necessary signing in the town centre, to show where cyclists can legally ride, their ability or willingness to provide good routes for cyclists in the LCWIP seems questionable!
Work on NCN route 422 is nearly complete with new cycle lane markings on Berkeley Avenue and Wokingham Road. Apparently changes to reduce parking, and facilitate better cycling facilities, on Wokingham Road were dropped because of numerous objections from a local church. Surely there must be some scope for further cycling improvements there.
The Campaign has also been involved with the Council’s CAST (Cleaner Air and Safer Transport) forum, with representatives and individuals from a variety of interests when we attended the second meeting on 29th January.
Hopefully this forum will help push the Council into improvements for cyclists and pedestrians, and not just buses!? No-car zones outside selected schools is hoped to be one measure which will be developed.
John Lee
RBC Campaigner for RCC