A number of main roads that run throughout Reading are set for improvement works to be undertaken over the summer.
Reading Borough Council has announced which roads will be the subject of improvements in the coming weeks.
There will be roadworks on 12 main roads which run through Tilehurst, West Reading and Caversham.
The works involve planing, also known as resurfacing, ironwork which applies to drains and other iron instalments on the roads, and lining, which involves painting markings on the roads.
Each of the locations selected for improvement will be visited twice.
The first visit will involve the removal of the old road surface (the planing) which will leave a rough surface, and raise any manhole covers and ironworks, followed by a second visit to put the new surface down, leaving a smoother, finished surface, and paint the lines back on.
The road improvements project is being undertaken by the council using £2 million of investment.
The work will take place over four weeks for the following roads at the following times:
WEEK 1
Mon, 24 July and Tues, 25 July – Church End Lane (Full Extent) – Planing and Ironwork
Wed, 26 July – The Meadway (Honey End Lane to Park Grove) – Planing and Ironwork
Thu, 27 July – Tilehurst Road (Parkside Road to Liebenrood Road) – Planing and Ironwork
Thu, 27 July – Tilehurst Road (Connaught Road to Cranbury Road) – Planing and Ironwork
Fri, 28 July – Church Road (St Anne’s Road to 200m West) – Planing and Ironwork
WEEK 2
Mon, 31 July – Henley Road (Chiltern Road to Grosvenor Road) – Planing and Ironwork
Mon, 31 July – Peppard Road (Cedar Wood Crescent to Fallowfield Close) – Planing and Ironwork
Mon, 31 July and Tues, 01 August – Church End Lane (Full Extent) – Surfacing and Lining
Tue, 01 August – Kidmore Road (Highmoor Road to Richmond Road) – Planing and Ironwork
Wed, 02 August – Kidmore Road (Sandcroft Road to Borough Boundary) – Planing and Ironwork
Wed, 02 August – Westfield Road (Gosbrook Road to Henley Road) – Planing and Ironwork
Wed, 02 August – The Meadway (Honey End Lane to Park Grove) – Surfacing and Lining
Thu, 03 August – Westfield Road (Gosbrook Road to Henley Road) – Planing and Ironwork
Thu, 03 August – Tilehurst Road (Parkside Road to Liebenrood Road) – Surfacing and Lining
Thu, 03 August – Tilehurst Road (ConnAugustht Road to Cranbury Road) – Surfacing and Lining
Fri, 04 August – Russell Street (Oxford Road to Tilehurst Road) – Planing and Ironwork
Fri, 04 August – Church Road (St Anne’s Road to 200m West) – Surfacing and Lining
WEEK 3
Mon, 07 August – Kidmore Road (Sandcroft Road to Borough Boundary) – Surfacing and Lining
Tue, 08 August – Hogarth Avenue (Bath Road to Lingholm Close) – Planing and Ironwork
Tue, 08 August – Henley Road (Chiltern Road to Grosvenor Road) – Surfacing and Lining
Tue, 08 August – Peppard Road (Cedar Wood Crescent to Fallowfield Close) – Surfacing and Lining
Tue, 08 August – Kidmore Road (Highmoor Road to Richmond Road) – Surfacing and Lining
Wed, 09 August – Shinfield Road (outside 54 to 72) – Planing and Ironwork
Wed, 09 August – Shinfield Road (outside 196 to 170) – Planing and Ironwork
Wed, 09 August – Kidmore Road (Highmoor Road to Richmond Road) – Surfacing and Lining
Thu, 10 August – Overdown Road (Brooksby Road to Larkswood Close) – Planing and Ironwork
Thu, 10 August – Russell Street (Oxford Road to Tilehurst Road) – Surfacing and Lining
Fri, 11 August – Westfield Road (Gosbrook Road to Henley Road) – Surfacing and Lining
WEEK 4
Mon, 14 August – Hogarth Avenue (Bath Road to Lingholm Close) – Surfacing and Lining
Tue, 15 August – Shinfield Road (outside 196 to 170) – Planing, Ironwork
Wed, 16 August – Shinfield Road (outside 54 to 72) – Surfacing and Lining
Wed, 16 August – Shinfield Road (outside 196 to 170) – Surfacing and Lining
Thu, 17 August – Overdown Road (Brooksby Road to Larkswood Close) – Planing, Ironwork – Surfacing and Lining Planing and Ironwork
The £2 million being invested are the first phase of a £8 million road improvement plan that will stretch over five years.
The announcement of the roads being worked on follows the completion of a £9 million road improvement project that has recently ended.
Cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey), lead councillor for environmental services and community safety said: “I’m delighted that we are able to announce this latest phase of road improvements, to continue the momentum and great results evidenced by our recently completed £9 million programme.
“We’re not content just with the big improvements to residential roads as we know that our residents need and deserve better main roads too. This programme will begin those improvements.”
When the first phase of four weeks is complete, the second phase of improvements will be rolled out, taking place after Reading Festival and the end of August bank holiday on Monday, August 28.
In the second phase, 27 roads will undergo improvement works, with details of work timings to be confirmed closer to the time.
The council has declared its completed £9 million improvements project that took place over the last three years has been a success.
That project saw more than 500 residential roads improved, with surveyors stating that 80% of the town’s residential roads are now classed as being in good condition, up from 35% before that project.
Additionally, the council claims there has been a 44% reduction in the number of pothole reports from the public, from 970 in 2019/20 down to 543 in 2022/23.
