Emmbrook Way
![]() ![]() Thames Valley Multi Modal Transport Study - Executive Summary Time-lapse footage of the replacement of Cow Lane Bridge in Reading, December 2011 |
It is accepted that the Ashridge Interchange would force much extra traffic onto the A321 into Wokingham unless an alternative were provided. This road is inadequate to take additional flows, and so it is suggested that a link road should be built from the Woosehill Roundabout on Reading Road through the industrial estate, under the railway embankment, across the site of Emmbrook School, across the Emm Brook on dual bridges (to form a gyratory in order to calm traffic), then across Matthewsgreen towards the A321 near the crossing over the A329(M). The
map below shows the suggested route, which largely avoids
existing housing, and would be more direct
than the residential roads that thread
through Emmbrook.
Image produced from the Ordnance Survey
Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of
Ordnance Survey and
Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
Bearing in mind that the A329(M) north of Winnersh was downgraded to form the A3290 in order to accommodate a bus-lane at its far end in Reading, this is a good precedent to urge the authorities to remove motorway status south of a new Ashridge Interchange. At a stroke, it would have 50% more capacity because the hard shoulder would form a third lane. The original downgrade north of Winnersh took place to benefit just 600 motorists a day who use the park-and-ride at Winnersh - and even this was under threat in 2011. How much better to use the southern part of the A329(M) to form a true bypass for the north of Wokingham, avoiding the need to provide an inadequate Northern Distributor Road . The following photos give an idea of the proposed route:
Wokingham always scores very highly on comparative surveys of lifestyles and quality of life, but road congestion is constantly mentioned as the major issue. Despite this drawback, the area is being asked to take yet more houses which would lead to even heavier traffic. We believe we have a strong case to demand a moratorium on further house building until an adequate road infrastructure is in place. The proposed 'Emmbrook Way' would form the northern part of a western bypass of Wokingham town centre, linking the Reading Road with the A329(M) at Ashridge. The proposed 'Station Bridge Link' would form the southern part, removing a major cause of road congestion at the station level crossing. With these two links in place, through traffic can avoid the town centre completely.
|
![]() Any Feedback or comments on this website? Please e-mail the webmaster |