RBC has recently repainted the cycle lanes along Wokingham Road. This was done as part of the works to create National Cycle Route 422, which runs between Newbury and Windsor and crosses through Reading along Bath Road, Berkeley Avenue, Cemetery Junction and Wokingham Road.
The creation of NCN422 has afforded the opportunity to right some previous wrongs, and it is encouraging that the Council is starting to take account of national guidance when creating cycle infrastructure.
The infamous car door danger zone cycle lanes have now been replaced with wider lanes that include a buffer strip between the cycle lane and the parking bays – see the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos below.
This increase in width has meant that there is now only a cycle lane on one side of the road (Wokingham bound). To achieve a proper cycle lane on both sides of the road would have meant sacrificing some parking bays. However, it is better to have one proper cycle lane than two dangerous ones.
There are now also mandatory cycle lanes on both sides of Wokingham Road on the gradient section south of the run of shops. A mandatory cycle lane has a solid white line, which should not be crossed by motor vehicles (see below)
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Close to the borough boundary, near The Three Tuns pub, the outbound cycle lane ends with a very large turn left sign (see below).
A curious feature; if you know its function, then drop us a line.
Keith Elliott
RCC Secretary
Matches the one on the Wokingham side where the cycle lane ends and means “Get on the pavement” !