Wokingham's Speed Limits Could Drop to 20mph!

A clampdown on driving speeds is due to take place in Wokingham and its surrounding towns and villages that could see speed limits reduced to 20mph.

A crackdown on driving speeds is set for Wokingham and nearby areas, with potential speed limits dropping to 20mph.

Wokingham Borough Council is reviewing speed limits across roads it oversees, including those in the town and surrounding villages, as well as Woodley and Earley.

The draft Speed Limit Review highlights "Quiet Ways"—roads with low traffic that could see limits cut to 30mph or 20mph, aiming for a predicted 40% decrease in collisions.

Simon Chapman, a resident who raised a question to the council, praised the thoroughness of the draft. He said: “The proposed Quiet Ways will be warmly welcomed by rural communities where pedestrians often walk on narrow roads.” He also sought clarity on the criteria for Quiet Way designation, suggesting all narrow lanes without footpaths should qualify.

Councillor Marc Brunel-Walker responded, defining low traffic for Quiet Ways as roads with fewer than 1,000 daily vehicle movements in rural areas and up to 2,500 in semi-rural areas. Regarding automatic designation for roads lacking pavements, he stated that while these routes are priorities, automatic designation might not always be suitable due to potential higher traffic levels.

He added that the local council aims to ensure the Quiet Way network remains safe and credible while noting that roads not designated as Quiet Ways can still be considered for lower speed limits under the wider policy objectives.

This exchange took place at the community and corporate overview and scrutiny committee meeting on October 29.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter