Views wanted over potential changes to key route

A council is seeking people's views on proposed changes to a key route into and out of Reading.

The London Road bus lane was introduced between the junctions of Liverpool Road and Amity Road in August 2024 to improve public transport reliability and journey times coming into the town from the east.

The bus lane sparked criticism from some locals, with some claiming it caused long queues and increased pollution.

Wokingham Borough Council has launched a consultation on potential changes on the approach to the lane, which include additional bus priority measures.

Its five-week consultation wants people's opinions on a potential new inbound bus lane for London Road approaching the Sutton Seeds Roundabout.

Other measures would include retaining two general traffic lanes alongside the new bus lane and converting a hatched area on the roundabout for that bus lane.

Reading council has said it wants to revise the London Road bus lane within that borough to remove a pinch point and allow a right-turn only lane into Liverpool Road.

When the bus lane was installed, Wokingham council had not received the funding that would have enabled the full scheme to be implemented.

Reading and Wokingham councils say they have worked together on the new plans, with the aim of "improving journey times for both general traffic and buses".

Councillor Adrian Betteridge, Wokingham's executive member for active travel, transport and highways, said the changes have been "designed to make everyday journeys better for everyone travelling into Reading".

Councillor John Ennis, Reading's lead for transport, said: "It is important to emphasise that these proposals would be implemented without the removal of any capacity for general traffic."