THE POSSIBLE reduction of a speed limit at a “dicey” junction for one of the busiest roads on the outskirts of Reading has received a ringing endorsement.
The A4 is a major road that runs through the length of the county, with an important junction being Shepherd’s Hill, which is the meeting point of Pitts Lane in Earley and Reading Road in Woodley.
Wokingham Borough Council, the highways authority in charge of the junction, has proposed reducing the speed limit at the junction from 40mph to 30mph.
The change has received enthusiastic backing from councillors in Woodley, with hopes that it will make the junction safer if the reduction is approved.
The proposal was discussed at a planning & community committee meeting.
Councillor Vin Lewis (Conservative, Warren) said: “If you’re trying to pull out of Mark Spencers, or God forbid, Majestic Wine for those who go to Majestic Wine, it can be quite dicey.
Agreeing, cllr Robert Horskins (Conservative, Coronation East) said: “I absolutely support this. It should be 30mph. If you’re coming out of Pitts Lane and you’re trying to get across to go down the A4 towards Twyford, you’ve got to take a leap of faith sometimes to get out of that junction.”
Cllr Janet Sartorel (Conservative, Loddon South) added: Yes, you do have to, they come round that corner fast, it does get quite scary.
After that, cllr Majid Nagra (Green, Loddon Airfield) suggested that a speed camera should be installed there, and volunteers from the council’s Community Speed Watch, which uses police provided equipment, could visit there to monitor speeds.
If a volunteer does catch someone speeding speed, registration number, make, and colour is passed to Thames Valley Police to consider prosecution.
He said: “There is no speed camera there. Sometimes there is a mobile police van, but obviously that’s once a week.
“If we do a few sessions there to monitor speed, some are going very fast.”
Cllr Sartorel replied: “Well maybe if it’s reduced to 30mph they might put up a camera or be a bit more vigilant, certainly to start with because people won’t realise that it’s been changed.
To that, cllr Nagra said: “I think if a camera is not installed, some people can still take advantage.”
Enforcement of speeding through the use of cameras, issuing fines and assigning points on a driving licence is reserved exclusively for Thames Valley Police.
The committee unanimously agreed to support the proposal to reduce the speed limit to 30mph at the Woodley Town Council meeting on June 16.
