Next Phase of Reading’s Biggest Ever Road Improvement Programme Begins Next Week

Over 100 residential roads will be resurfaced in Reading over the next 10 weeks as the Council continues with its biggest ever investment in new road surfaces.

The next phase of an £8m investment over five years, which began in 2023, will see 106 residential roads resurfaced, beginning with Heatherden Close, Farrowdene Road and Byworth Close on Monday 3 February (weather permitting).

The Council has also confirmed the 64 main roads that will receive resurfacing improvements this year, with dates to be confirmed. These will be completed under the £4m major roads programme which forms part of the overall £8m commitment by the Council to comprehensive road improvements across the borough.

The Council’s commitment to improving highways has already led to:

• A 39% reduction in the number of pothole reports from the public, from 1,913 in 2021/22 to 1,168 in 2023/24
• Resurfacing of over 700 roads since 2019
• Completion of a 3-year, £9m investment in road improvements followed by the start of the current £8m investment
• The number of residential roads classified as in ‘good’ condition rise from 35% to 85%

Karen Rowland, Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, said:

“We know that a good standard of roads is something that residents regularly feed back as being a priority to them, and over the last five years we’ve taken huge steps in significantly bringing up the standard of our roads throughout Reading. This has been possible through Council-funded investments above and beyond government allocations.

“An initial £9m road resurfacing programme, followed by the current £8m programme, which begins again next week, only confirms our commitment to responding to our residents in doing everything we can to give them better roads.

“The new programme will see over 100 residential roads resurfaced in under three months, alongside the major road improvement programme starting soon. Residents across the borough and all road users are set to share in the benefits of our work and commitment”.

The sections of road being improved from next week will see temporary closures set out to ensure work can be carried out quickly and safely. Temporary ‘no waiting at any time’ traffic orders will be in place to prevent parking on the road while the works are being undertaken.

Residents and businesses directly affected will see advance notices put out alerting them to the work, along with on-street closure notices and resident letters being posted through doors. Residents will need to follow the signed diversions but will be provided with access on an individual basis when it is safe to do so throughout the process, and bus diversions will be in place.

The full list of roads set to be resurfaced can be found at https://www.reading.gov.uk/roadimprovements