Have your say on plans to improve Reading’s pathways and get more people walking

READING Borough Council is encouraging residents to have their say on ambitious plans to maintain and improve the borough’s rights of way network in a bid to get more people using them.

Securing new pathways and reinstating historic routes that have been lost, are just two of the actions highlighted by the plan, including working with the developers of the Caversham Park estate to allow the use of some paths on the parkland.

The overall goal of the latest Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan is to encourage more people to choose walking and cycling for local and longer journeys. This includes an ambition to increase the number of people walking into the town centre from 29 per cent to 40 per cent by 2036.*

A 12-week public consultation launches today and will close on 19 February 2023. People can have their say online at www.reading.gov.uk/ROWIPConsultation

For further information or to request alternative formats contact: transport@reading.gov.uk

For more information on the Council’s management of public rights of way visit: www.reading.gov.uk/vehicles-roads-and-transport/public-rights-of-way 

and view the Improvement Plan here: www.reading.gov.uk/vehicles-roads-and-transport/transport-strategy/rights-of-way-improvement-plan 

Some of the existing achievements outlined in the document so far include:

• Resurfacing of key routes in the borough including the River Thames and River Kennet footpaths, with bank repairs alongside the River Thames;
• Construction of Christchurch Bridge, providing enhanced access between the Thames Path and Caversham;   
• A new pedestrian bridge installed in west Reading over the railway linking the Thames Towpath (Footpath 1) with the A329 Oxford Road (Footpath 29);
• Modifications at Fobney Lock for better access to cyclists and wheelchair users.

Tony Page, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport said: “Reading has 21 miles of Public Rights of Way across the borough. You may not have even heard of this network – but you may be using it every day! Many of the footpaths are key routes connecting people to destinations such as the town centre, Reading Station, Green Park and Thames Valley Business Park. They are used by people travelling to work and school, as well as many rural-type routes that are used for leisure.

“We’d like to better integrate these routes into Reading’s overall transport network - to provide a better experience, and to encourage more people to choose to walk or cycle for local journeys. It is also part of our wider, long-term transport vision to encourage more people to use healthier active travel options, by enhancing walking and cycling routes across our town.”

“As part of our wider Climate Emergency Strategy, our work on improving walking and cycling routes underlines the Council’s wholehearted commitment to tackling poor air quality which we know exists in parts of Reading. Walking or cycling instead of using the car has many benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing, the health of our local environment and our wallets. Bikes are the most energy-efficient form of transport and can be faster and more predictable than cars for short journeys. Cycling or walking regularly can keep you fit, save you money (no tax, no fuel, no fares) and it’s one of the most environmentally-friendly ways to travel."

For the future, the action plan proposes:

• Identifying new paths – including creating new paths as part of new developments;
• Reviewing suggestions for historic routes and exploring options with the aim to claim or reinstate them;
• Focussing on removing barriers for cyclists – such as gates and narrow paths, and on paths for those with restricted mobility and visually impaired such as gates, surface, gradient, and width;
• Long-term addition of street-lights on existing dark paths.

Cllr Page continued: “We are also looking at historic Rights of Way that are not included in the current network list. A topical example of this is the land on the Caversham Park Estate in Emmer Green. We know there is a great deal of local support for providing public access to this beautiful parkland. This is now something we want to take forward with the developers of this site and we have included within our action plan.

“It is vital we look after the network and improve it – and our latest Rights of Way Improvement Plan seeks to achieve that very goal. I’d like to encourage everyone to have a say on our Public Rights of Way consultation, which launches today for 12 weeks.”

The draft Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2 (2023-33) includes a detailed action plan with seven key themes:

• To update and improve the information available;
• To improve the condition of the network;
• To encourage use of the network;
• To make the network better connected;
• To ensure the network is inclusive for all;
• To improve the network’s safety;
• To ensure efficient delivery of the plan.

The plans have been developed following a previous public consultation in 2021, when residents and local organisations were invited to have their say on how they currently use Reading’s network, to highlight any barriers or issues to increasing its use and suggest enhancements – for example, make it more accessible to all users, better maintained or signposted. 

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