Bracknell Forest Council’s decision-making executive is due to approve spending £6.9 million of capital funds on improving and maintaining the borough’s roads, pavements and cycleways over the next year.

The plan will help people can get around the borough safely and sustainably. It includes:

• planned maintenance like resurfacing roads, rebuilding bridges and replacing streetlights
• a number of highways, pedestrian and cycling improvements
• several road safety schemes
• improvements to tackle parking pressures and smooth traffic flow through junctions

These are in line with what local communities have been telling the council they would like to see improved. The plans are due to be discussed at the executive’s meeting on 19 March.

It also includes several road safety schemes alongside improvements to tackle parking pressures and smooth traffic flow through junctions.

Walking and cycling schemes for 2024 to 2025 include a new:

• toucan crossing between Halifax Road and Ranelagh Drive to help children get to school more safely
• zebra crossing between Earlswood and Cottesmore in Hanworth to help children get to school more safely
• pedestrian island, bus stop and footpath improvements on the Maidenhead Road (near Jealott’s Hill) to improve safety for people walking and using public transport

More than £4 million is proposed to be spent on resurfacing a number of residential roads as well as major roads, including the: 

• A329 Berkshire Way (between the Wokingham boundary and Jennett’s Park roundabout)
• A330 Maiden’s Green (between Winkfield Street and Bracknell Road)
• A3095 Mill Lane (between the Hanworth roundabout and Wildridings roundabout)
• A322 Bagshot Road southbound (between the Coral Reef junction and Swinley road junction) 

A further £150,000 is due to be spent on drainage improvements and over £1 million is earmarked for electrical repairs to restore faulty streetlights. 

Cllr Guy Gillbe, executive member for planning and transport, said: “Should the executive approve the plans on 19 March, we will spend more than £4.3 million on improving the condition of the borough’s roads over the next 12 months. This is over £1.7 million more than the current programme.

“It will also help us maintain and improve streetlights in key locations and resolve a number of drainage issues.

“Additionally, if approved, this funding will be used to improve cycleways and pedestrian routes to support greener travel and make changes to our highways to make them safer.

“While an increase to £4.3 million for resurfacing roads is good news, we have more than 280 miles of road to maintain in the borough, so not every issue in Bracknell Forest can be fixed over the next year. However, the council’s 2024 to 2025 budget sets out that we will direct an additional £5 million in capital funding toward road repairs over the next four years, so there will be further improvements to come beyond March 2025.”

The £6.918 million capital budget includes around 75% from external funding like government grants and developer contributions. It is supplemented by a further £2.4 million of revenue funding for routine day-to-day repairs.

The council looks after 286 miles of road across the borough.