A year of WATCHing... what good has it done?

ITwo specific things in the second half of 2020 had spurred us into action.

Temporary Covid measures, intended to help, generally made things worse.

‘Improvements’ to the London Road created at least as many new hazards as they resolved.

When we looked at how we might help, we found there was almost no public information available on how things might improve in future.

Armed with passion, experience and a bit of knowledge we launched the Wokingham Active Travel Community Hub (WATCH).

We wanted to highlight the need for better, but also to help the council see things through the eyes of those who travel under their own steam, and those who would do so if it was safer and easier.

Our group has grown to over a hundred with a core of around 20 activists, including a number of transport professionals, and we believe we are making a difference.

The Council has welcomed and listened our input, including to the latest infrastructure plans.

The decision that future plans will follow the latest standards is welcome.

Planning and standards are great, but need to be backed up with adequate long-term funding which is still far from the case.

We also want to see the easy things that could make a difference now prioritised, such as school streets, filtering of traffic and appropriate speed limits.

We worry that continued high levels of investment in car travel risks undoing any progress that is made and we will continue to air our views independently and constructively in our column here, on radio and television, social media and in the Council chamber.

Much more is needed to get Wokingham Borough fit for the future.

We have to address climate change, air pollution and the health impact of inactivity and active travel needs to play a big role in this.