Missing Links work causes access woes
Maidenhead: ‘Connectivity’ project means opposite for some firms
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Construction has begun on a project to improve King Street for cyclists and pedestrians, but the works have been hit with problems. The council is carrying out the project as part of its ‘Missing Links’ initiative.
The Royal Borough council has started work on King Street in Maidenhead in an effort to ‘improve’ the experiences of pedestrians and cyclists, but the project has been met with some teething problems.
Works are part of the local authority’s ‘Missing Links’ project, an initiative aimed at enhancing connectivity across the town amid planned regeneration.
Construction on the southern section of King Street started on Monday and is set to last approximately nine weeks.
This will include tactile paving to indicate the crossing at the junction with Nicholsons Lane, with the works majority funded by the Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership.
The council had confirmed that businesses will remain open to customers while work is carried out during the day, with pedestrians diverted to unaffected sides of King Street.
Councillor Gerry Clark (Con, Bisham and Cookham) cabinet member for transport, said: “These works are planned to be carried out between 9.30am to 3.30pm to minimise disruption and our contractors will do all they can to minimise disturbance.”
Works on the centre section of King Street are due to start once footways on both sides have been completed.
Nicholsons Lane remains open to traffic.
However, at a Maidenhead Town Forum meeting on Monday, councillors learned from Cllr Clark that the work was not synchronised with what was previously communicated – with the route appearing to be ‘closed off’.
“The works that started do not appear to be in sync with the communications in terms of the way the work would be carried out,” he said.
“At the end of King Street, it does look like the section has been closed off, and there are some storage containers on site. I have been informed and will be raising with officers.”
Opposition councillor Gurch Singh (Lib Dem, St Mary’s) said that this was having an impact on nearby Off The Tap.
“They cannot get deliveries, they cannot trade, their customers are struggling to get to the premises,” he said.
Storage containers were also said to be blocking access to the Smokeys nightclub – but the council has since announced that these have been repositioned.
A Royal Borough spokesman added the council was ‘aware’ of issues raised by firms about the works, adding it has been ‘working hard to resolve these issues’.