Councillors Back 30mph Limit at Dangerous Junction

A proposed cut to the speed limit at the 'dicey' Shepherd's Hill junction on the A4 - where Pitts Lane meets Reading Road on the outskirts of Reading - has won strong backing. Wokingham Borough Council has proposed dropping the limit from 40mph to 30mph and Woodley councillors hope it will make the junction safer.

Councillor Vin Lewis (Conservative, Warren) said: "If you're trying to pull out of Mark Spencers, or God forbid, Majestic Wine for those who go to Majestic Wine, it can be quite dicey.

Agreeing, cllr Robert Horskins (Conservative, Coronation East) said: "I absolutely support this. It should be 30mph. If you're coming out of Pitts Lane and you're trying to get across to go down the A4 towards Twyford, you've got to take a leap of faith sometimes to get out of that junction."

Cllr Janet Sartorel (Conservative, Loddon South) added: Yes, you do have to, they come round that corner fast, it does get quite scary.

Cllr Majid Nagra (Green, Loddon Airfield) suggested a speed camera and that volunteers from the council's Community Speed Watch, which uses police‑provided equipment, could visit to monitor speeds. If volunteers catch someone speeding, registration number, make and colour are passed to Thames Valley Police to consider prosecution.

He said: "There is no speed camera there. Sometimes there is a mobile police van, but obviously that's once a week.

"If we do a few sessions there to monitor speed, some are going very fast."

Cllr Sartorel replied: "Well maybe if it's reduced to 30mph they might put up a camera or be a bit more vigilant, certainly to start with because people won't realise that it's been changed.

To that, cllr Nagra said: "I think if a camera is not installed, some people can still take advantage."

Enforcement of speeding through the use of cameras, issuing fines and assigning points on a driving licence is reserved exclusively for Thames Valley Police.

The committee unanimously agreed to support the proposal to reduce the speed limit to 30mph at the Woodley Town Council meeting on June 16.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter