DOUBLE yellow lines will be coming to a road in Lower Earley later this year.
Following a meeting of Reading Borough Council’s traffic management sub committee on Wednesday, June 15, councillors approved plans to implement the restriction along a length of Shinfield Road.
The double yellow lines will run from Christchurch Green to Shinfield Rise.
The decision means drivers will no longer be able to park on Shinfield Road.
There are fears the loss of roadside parking will mean increased parking on residential streets, including in The Mount, where some neighbours have said they struggle to find a space due to “lax” restrictions.
But councillors were unclear about how much of a knock-on impact the displacement of parking spaces would have.
Cllr Rob White, the group leader of the Reading Green party, said: “Maybe Shinfield Road would create a problem, maybe it won’t.
Cllr Clarence Mitchell, Conservative councillor for Emmer Green, suggested the situation be monitored and a report be brought to the council in September.
But this was rejected by Cllr Tony Page, the lead member for transport, who said: “Until the Shinfield Road scheme has been fully implemented, which won’t be until later this year and then there needs to be a time to monitor that, it will clearly be into next year before we’re in a position to properly assess the impact.”
The introduction of double yellow lines in Shinfield Road is part of the Government’s Active Travel Funding Scheme tranche two, which aims to encourage cycling and other active travel measures.
A key reason for the double yellow lines would be to prevent drivers parking along the road, clearing the way for future cycle lanes.
In a recent consultation on the scheme 22 people responded, with 17 of those being in favour and four people objecting.
Those who objected argued that car parking in Shinfield Road does not cause an unsafe obstruction or increase congestion.
Cllr Andrew Hornsby-Smith, Labour councillor for Church ward, said: “The fact that residents have come out so strongly in support of it is telling itself.
“And I can confirm that the residents I spoke to during the election campaign all the way along Shinfield Road were very happy that we’re going ahead with this.
“It is one of the steps we need to take in order to deliver the wider scheme of the segregated cycle lanes and that will form part of our strategic network of cycle lanes, and really improve the sustainability of Reading.”
