Going Experimental

IF you’re ‘on-trend’ with your words, you’ll know that the 90’s phrase “going postal” means a sudden outburst of anger, typically at work. If you’re not, you can easily find its definition. (the ‘Hint-ernet’).

Here in Wokingham we’re a bit more

‘refained’ but some of us are thinking of going experimental - possibly in reaction to those who already have.

Consulting nicely

We do - at least at a national level. In the last year the Government launched or reported on 1,274 consultations - just over five a day.

And when the results get published everyone can see what impact the responses have had

- if any. Sometimes it feels a bit like mouse vs juggernaut, but sometimes things change.

Locally, we have far more consultations that you’d imagine. In addition to WBC’s seven current consultations and 20 finished ones in the last year, there’s been a further 17 - more of these in a moment.

Currently, WBC’s consulting us on the “Local Plan Update: Homes for the Future”, asking us where the developments should happen in the borough. There’s also the “Statement of Community Involvement” asking us how we’d like to be engaged with the local development process.

Don’t ask, just tell?

Those other 17 consultations come in the form of Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s).

Which sounds a bit odd, particularly if you don’t like being given orders (especially not from WBC), but contrary to the title, each TRO is required by law to have a period of consultation. Yes, consultation.

Except that four of the 17 TRO’s are Experimental TRO’s and here the law’s different – there’s no consultation required and we aren’t being asked – we’re being told.

Could there be another way?

Between a rock …

Last week’s commentary alluded to a meeting of Wokingham Town’s full council, at which a brief but interesting update on Regeneration was being given.

However, it became apparent that there was some concern being expressed over the Borough Council having dropped “an Experimental” into the heavily overspent Market Place project.

The minutes of the Town’s Planning and Transport (P&T) committee showed they hadn’t taken kindly to the Experimental TRO on parking restrictions. On behalf of residents they’d recorded their concerns and made proposals for improvement.

This might feel a bit surreal - Wokingham Town Council taking objection to a Wokingham Borough Council department’s decision, but it’s no different from a Parish Council expressing an objection on a local matter, particularly where they haven’t been consulted in advance.

Listening to the Town’s Q&A, it was made crystal clear to Town Councillors that ‘you have as much opportunity to influence the process as you ever had’ and after a further question that ‘’the officers will look at what you say and judge it accordingly based upon the current situation in the town and what they believe is right’. The vote that followed saw the P&T proposals accepted unanimously.

… And a hard place

Having gained the town’s Full Council approval to call the Borough to account for parking in Wokingham’s town centre is one thing, over in Spencers Wood things aren’t as clear cut.

In a network of country lanes, Croft Road is so narrow that it was made one way some years ago. As it’s smack bang in the middle one of the borough’s four strategic development locations, the existing properties on Croft Road now have new houses to the front, side and back of them. Totally surrounded.

As part of the deal for the development, a new access road was approved and now cuts across Croft Road.

On or around October 12, it was a shock for residents to discover two huge concrete blocks either side of the new access road - completely blocking Croft Road for through traffic.

On November 11 an Experimental TRO was published on WBC’s website, declaring that traffic was being restricted. Almost four weeks after the road had been blocked.

So all vehicles now go to the road block then have to reverse on the narrow unlit road, often trying to turn round in a private driveway. Imagine one of the Borough’s refuse collection trucks or other large HGV trying this tricky manoeuvre and you can guess what’ll happen next …

A call for action

Nobody’s claiming WBC’s consultation process is perfect, but many of us seem to prefer being non-participants - then complaining after the event. But whichever side you take, there are tricky issues to consider.

Should we eliminate parking entirely from the regenerated town centre in order to keep it looking tidy? Or should we actively encourage afternoon and evening trade by allowing some parking ?

Should we prioritise new roads and new residents at the expense of existing ones by blocking old roads and failing to make adequate provision for turning ?

Or should we stay wedded to the old road network and do nothing ?

As these two topics were known about in advance, perhaps it’s time for our borough politicians to arrange a more judicious use of Experimental Traffic orders – before anyone gets the wrong impression as to what they’re about?