Published on
9 January 2025
Work resumes on major road creating access to new homes
The South Wokingham Distributor Road will be completed now that external funding has been secured
Work is about to start on the remaining sections of the South Wokingham Distributor Road, which will provide access to new housing and other amenities that are set to be built in this area.
The council's partners at Balfour Beatty will soon begin clearing trees and hedges surrounding the route, which runs from the roundabout between the two railway bridges on Finchampstead Road and the roundabout at the junction of Waterloo Road and William Heelas Way.
They will create new site entrances off Easthampstead Road and Heathlands Road, plus a crossing point for machinery. This includes setting up temporary closures and diversions on part of Easthampstead Road, as well as some lane closures with temporary traffic lights.
Temporary fencing will be put up around the works site and along footpaths to keep the public safe. Some footpaths will be closed or diverted, but pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.
These initial enabling works will allow the main construction to begin in spring 2025, which will involve further road closures and diversions at times. A full programme will be announced as soon as possible and published on the council’s website.
Regular updates will also be shared through the council’s South Wokingham community newsletter, and residents are encouraged to sign up. Updates on all disruption to the network are also available on the council's website.
Get updates
Replacing and improving local greenery
The vegetation clearance, which includes some overnight work at the Finchampstead Road end, will eventually be offset by a large amount of new planting. The finished road will include more trees, hedgerows and other vegetation than before it was built.
Major schemes like this are legally required to increase the number of wildlife habitats in their area, and this will be achieved through measures including a large new nature park to the west of Easthampstead Road, near the junction with Heathlands Road.
Balfour Beatty will begin installing two large drainage ponds at this location in early 2025. Further planting and landscaping will be carried out later by developers who are building new homes in the area, as part of their planning obligations.
There will also be extensive planting along the length of the road, including on embankments and verges, using native trees to match its surroundings. A detailed landscaping design should be agreed by early 2025 and will be shared in due course.
Initial impacts on your journey
As part of these enabling works, Balfour Beatty’s crews will be closing a section of Easthampstead Road, between Waterloo Road and Heathlands Road, for two weeks from Monday, 20 January.
Residents and business owners will have access from either side of the level crossing near Star Lane, but there will be no vehicle access across the railway.
A signed diversion route will be available for vehicles and pedestrian access will be maintained, including across the level crossing.
The diversion route will be as follows:
• Northbound: Old Wokingham Road, Waterloo Road, William Heelas Way, London Road (A329) and Peach Street (A329)
• Southbound: Peach Street (A329), Broad Street (A329), Rectory Road (A329), Wiltshire Road (A329), London Road (A329), William Heelas Way, Waterloo Road and Old Wokingham Road
This is to allow the creation of site entrances, clear vegetation and install safety fencing as well as a crossing point for machinery. This will be controlled by two-way temporary traffic lights, with motorists given priority during busy periods to minimise delays.
The crews will also dig exploratory holes to map the location of underground utility pipes and cables. This ensures they aren’t damaged during the works and can reduce the need to divert them.
A small section of Heathlands Road, immediately south of the Easthampstead Road junction, will have temporary traffic lights on the northbound lane for two weeks from Monday 3 February, again to allow the creation of a site entrance.
Finally, a section of footway on Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road will be diverted for five days from Monday 27 January to allow improvements to start on this junction. Pedestrians will still have access at all times.
A key link to new housing and more
The council is completing the new road to support a wider commitment to providing new housing at South Wokingham, as set out in its Local Plan. This is to ensure it meets its duty to plan ahead for the borough’s future housing, employment and other needs.
More than 600 new homes have already been built at Montague Park, off London Road, and two sections of the South Wokingham Distributor Road have been completed to serve them.
These are William Heelas Way, which offers access to the local shops, primary school and nature park, and Eastern Gateway, which connects to Waterloo Road via a new railway overbridge and roundabout.
The Central Section, which is yet to be built, will serve the remaining 1,800 or so homes and supporting infrastructure that is set to follow to the south of the railway line. It will also provide an alternative route for through traffic that avoids Wokingham town centre.
It will continue westwards from the Waterloo Road roundabout with a single, fully-lit 30mph carriageway plus a shared footway and cycleway along its length, as well as bus stops, to promote active and sustainable alternatives to driving.
Traffic flows will also be improved at the junction of Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road by upgrading the mini-roundabout to a larger one. Pedestrian and cycle provision will be substantially improved around this junction, with wider space and additional crossings.
Keeping everyone in the loop
Main works on the new road will start in early 2025, with closures and diversions expected at the junction of Finchampstead Road and Molly Millars Lane for about 12 months from the spring.
A section of Easthampstead Road, between the railway line and Heathlands Road, will also close in late 2025 and reopen in 2026. A full summary of the programme, including timeframes for any expected disruption, will be published as soon as possible and any works which could affect people’s journeys will be publicised well in advance.
Cllr Martin Alder, executive member for active travel, transport and highways, said: “We know these works will sometimes be disruptive but we’ll do all we can to minimise the impact, both on people's journeys and the surrounding environment, as we work to complete this critical infrastructure project.
“We’ll also ensure that key information is available well in advance, so people can plan their journeys around the works.
“While this new road is required to support the borough's growth, we're still highly mindful of our climate emergency and air quality responsibilities. That’s why it includes high-quality walking and cycling provision, with planted verges to make it safer and more attractive for cyclists and pedestrians.”
Vinay Roopun, project manager for Balfour Beatty, said: “Consideration for residents and businesses, particularly those nearest the site, will always be foremost on our minds and we will share all essential updates as far ahead as we can. We’ll be in touch with any homes or businesses that are directly affected, and will be on hand to answer any questions or concerns they may have.”
Listening to your views
Extensive consultation was undertaken before the council committed to this project, with residents' feedback helping to guide the final choice of route, and planning permission for the remaining sections was granted in 2021.
The completion of the South Wokingham Distributor Road is initially being funded by Homes England, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency. This will be paid back through the contributions which developers have to make towards community infrastructure, which will also be used to fund new bus services for this area.
