Woodley to Reading Cycle Scheme
The final section of the first half of the Woodley to Palmer Park cycle scheme was scheduled to open on Monday 24 August. Work then starts on the second half from Woodlands Avenue towards Palmer Park.
This will provide a safe cycling route from central Woodley to Palmer Park and will be WoBC’s first LTN 1/20 compliant piece of cycle infrastructure.
It is likely at least one organised ride will be organised in the Autumn to promote and publicise this route, and any definite dates will be published on the WoBC website and in future RCC communications.
Barrier Removal in Wokingham and Earley
Several very cycle (and pram/wheelchair) unfriendly barriers have been removed and replaced with more appropriate barriers around Earley and Wokingham (see Quick Win for Lower Earley for an example). These are relatively small changes but ones which make a big difference to how easily people can move around the borough.
If you have an example of a physical barrier to cycling, please pass it on or report it directly to WoBC, who can consider whether it can be changed.
Spokes ETC Bike Workshop in Earley
Spokes ETC bike workshop is a brand-new cycle workshop based in the Centrepoint Community centre (RG6 5HZ) offering affordable and accessible bike repair services aimed at keeping families, leisure riders and commuters on their bikes. They are also looking for volunteers to help. More information and opening times about the workshop can be found at https://www.earley-tc.gov.uk/spokes-etc/.
Safer Streets
A recent Department for Transport report showed there were 194 collisions on Wokingham’s roads in 2025 where one or more people were killed or injured, resulting in 253 casualties – around five a week.
The number of injuries classed as serious more than doubled compared with 2024, with pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists significantly more at risk. These figures and the increase year on year are stark and show why WoBC must take road safety, especially for vulnerable users, more seriously.
Thankfully the Safer Streets consultation earlier this year showed the public are aware of local issues and are keen for things to change. 841 members of the public responded to the safer streets consultation, submitting almost 2000 proposals for streets or areas where they believe a safer speed limit is needed.
There were also 95 proposals from 15 town and parish councils. These proposals are now being assessed against WoBC’s speed limit policy, and the first new speed limits are expected to be introduced from January 2027 following public consultation, with more to follow.
Kidical Mass at the Wokingham Bikeathon
To end on a positive – the Wokingham Bikeathon at Cantley park on 28 June was a big success, with the Kidical Mass children’s bike ride being the highlight.
In 2025 we had over 70 cyclists take part, which was a record for Kidical Mass in Wokingham; this year’s attendance doubled to around 150 cyclists, proving that if you organise and help people to cycle safely, they will.
Thanks to everyone who took part and all the marshals who helped make this event such a good one; we’ll be back next year to hopefully increase the number again!
Alex Cran
WoBC Campaigner for RCC