New pedestrian and cyclist path unveiled in West Berkshire

West Berkshire Council has successfully completed Stage 1 of the Stockcross Linkway, a new shared path designed for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting Stockcross Village to Newbury.

Running alongside the B4000, from Stockcross Village to the A4 roundabout, this first-stage scheme was driven by representations from Speen Parish Council, the Active Travel Heat Map consultation in 2021, and £280,000 funding from the government's Active Travel Fund. The project was developed in collaboration with Active Travel England, Speen Parish Council, and Ward Councillors for Newbury Speen.

Key features of the scheme include:

• Reconstruction and widening of footways near the A4 roundabout.
• A new shared path for walking, wheeling, and cycling from Stockcross Post Office to the A4 roundabout.
• A priority crossing at the side turnings to Rookswood and Snake Lane.
• Alterations to the footway buildout towards the east of Stockcross Post Office.
• Improved bus stops with higher kerbs and new hard standings for easier boarding and alighting.

This initiative is part of the Council's commitment to create safer routes for walking, wheeling, and cycling, connecting Stockcross and Speen with Newbury town centre via low-traffic routes such as Speen Lane and Goldwell Park.

Councillor Stuart Gourley, Executive Member for Environment and Highways at West Berkshire Council, said:

"The completion of this first stage of the Linkway is a great milestone as it marks the beginning of a sustainable link between Stockcross, Speen, and Newbury. This marks a significant step towards enhancing active travel options in the region as it aligns with the Council's commitment to encourage residents to make local journeys by walking or cycling.

"We look forward to extending the shared path to connect with the Newbury network at Speen Lane, in collaboration with our stakeholders, as we continue to improve active travel infrastructure across West Berkshire for a healthier, more connected community."

The Council has also secured additional funding from Active Travel England's Active Travel Fund 4, part of which is allocated for the feasibility design of Stage 2 of the Stockcross Linkway. This future stage aims to extend the path across the A4 and A34 towards Speen Lane. Discussions are underway with National Highways where detailed design and delivery will depend on these discussions and availability of further funding.  

The wider vision is to better connect Stockcross and Speen village with Newbury and key amenities such as the new pump track, Northcroft Leisure Centre, and the existing National Cycle Network route 4 through Northcroft Park.  This aligns with the wider objective of joining up sections of cycle- and pedestrian routes to create legible, local networks, as outlined in the Council's adopted Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).

Stage 1 of the Stockcross Linkway has provided a surfaced, shared path for walking, wheeling and considerate cycling alongside the B4000

Stage 1 of the Stockcross Linkway incorporates upgraded bus stops, accessed from the new shared path

_{Top Photo l-r: Keith Phillips, Cllr Stuart Gourley, Cllr Antony Amirtharaj, Bruce Schoepe, Andrew Alty}