Yellow Lines to Boost Cycling Safety in Reading

Yellow lines banning parking could be painted along Bath Road and Castle Hill in Reading to allow cycle lanes to be installed in future.

Reading Borough Council wants to make cycling safer on the A4 Bath Road and Castle Hill and received £2.3 million from the previous Conservative government to help do that.

Proposals include replacing two permit-holder bays on Castle Hill (between Russell Street and Jesse Terrace) that hold about six to seven cars with double yellow lines, and reducing the bus lane approaching Haden Square and the Bath Road water tower to make space for a segregated cycle track.

The plans were discussed at the council19s traffic management sub-committee and the committee voted unanimously to send them to a statutory consultation on September 10.

A formal consultation in July and August found 55.3% of more than 100 respondents either supported or strongly supported the changes. Also, 54.3% backed reallocating road space away from motor vehicles for better pedestrian and cycle facilities.

Cllr Ennis said: "We have no choice but to look at active travel."

Cllr Mohammed Ayub (Labour, Abbey) said: "I think this is very good, and the residents mostly welcome it."

Cllr Richard Walkem (Green, Coley) said: "I'm fully in favour of this scheme, we need safe transport down Bath Road for cycles, it isn't at the moment, so it would be good when it is, and also look forward like cycle routes being developed in Reading, particularly those going around Reading rather than directly to the centre as well."

Cllr Meri O'Connell (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) said: "Where you provide the facilities, people use them. It may take a little while before people fully trust it, but where you provide safe spaces people move into those safe spaces."

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter