Consulting on major changes to key route

Slough: Council awarded £9.3m to roll out Farnham Road proposals

The first of a series of drop-in events consulting on proposals to make major changes to Farnham Road in Slough took place on Tuesday.

The first of three consultation drop-in sessions saw attendees visit The Centre in Farnham Road to view and discuss plans for Destination Farnham Road – a scheme to make improvements to the key route and its side roads.

In June 2022, Slough Borough Council (SBC) submitted a bid to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Levelling Up Fund and, in February last year, the authority was awarded £9.3million to design and build the new scheme.

The council subsequently allocated a further £1million in funding to the scheme from other grants and the total value of the project is now approximately £10.3m.

The project will extend along Farnham Road between the Cumberland Avenue roundabout and the A4 Bath Road.

Proposals include creating a public space through the main shopping area between Essex Avenue and Sheffield Road and reducing the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph through this area.

A new off-road, two-way cycle route on the west side of Farnham Road is also proposed, alongside upgraded roads and footways on parts of the route, including resurfacing, new road markings and upgraded traffic signals.

New parallel/dual zebra crossings allowing cyclists to cross alongside pedestrian are also proposed on all four arms of the Cumberland Avenue roundabout.

New and upgraded cycle and pedestrian signals to cross Essex Avenue, Furnival Avenue, Farnham Avenue and Montrose Avenue are also proposed, alongside new segregated signalised crossings for both pedestrians and cyclists at the Sheffield Road and Buckingham Avenue junctions.

A review of the current street lighting also features in the plans, alongside upgraded bus stops, with lay-bys removed and parking restrictions boosted.

New parking facilities, including new limited waiting vehicle parking pads (parking bays that form part of the footway) are also proposed between the Cumberland Avenue roundabout and Sheffield Road.

In addition, the authority is also looking to make improvements at the Sheffield Road junction, along Sheffield Road between Farnham Road and Baylis Court Nursery School and along Furnival Avenue between Farnham Road and the cycle path connecting with Greenside.

Plans include creating a ‘cycle street’ along Furnival Avenue between Farnham Road and the cycle path linking with Greenside.

Further drop-in consultations will take place at The Centre in Farnham Road on Thursday, January 25 from 10am to 4pm and on Thursday, February 1 from 3pm to 7pm.

The consultation is open for responses until 11.59pm on Sunday, February 11.

For more information about the scheme and ways to respond, visit: slough.citizenspace.com/transport /destinationfarnhamroad/