Reading streets used as 'rat run' to get speed bumps

Berkeley Avenue is a busy east-west route between Coley and Southcote and the town centre.

Some drivers head via Boston Avenue and Shaw Road in an effort to avoid traffic, which has led to claims that the streets are being used as ‘a rat run’.

Reading Borough Council’s highways department drew up plans for five speed bumps along Boston Avenue and three to Shaw Road in an effort to alleviate the issue.

In a consultation, some neighbours argued that the speed bumps would be unnecessary as they had never witnessed an issue with cars travelling fast in either street.

One neighbour objected to the addition of the speed bumps as one of them would be placed outside their house, therefore removing a parking space.

READ MORE: Neighbours object to speed bumps plan for Coley side streets 

However, another neighbour argued that ‘reckless drivers’ using the streets to bypass Berkeley Avenue is an issue that the speed bumps would help alleviate.

The consultation and proposal to add the speed bumps were discussed at a meeting of the council’s  traffic management sub-committee.

During the discussion, councillor Paul Gittings, who represents the area, argued that introducing speed bumps to the streets had ‘broad support’.

Shaw Road in Coley. Credit: Google Maps

Cllr Gittings, (Labour, Coley) said: “If you look at the formal consultation it is broadly even.”

While he noted that there were only six responses to the formal consultation, cllr Gittings said he had received a ‘subsequent flood of emails’ after the Local Democracy Reporting Service covered the proposed change.

He went on to say that the responses he had received were broadly in support of adding speed bumps, stating that the two streets have been used as a  ‘rat run’ by drivers seeking to avoid heavier traffic on Berkeley Avenue,

Cllr Gittings gave anecdotal evidence of a neighbour having his car hit at ’45mph’ in one ‘quite serious incident’ in the area.

Cllr Mohammed Ayub (Labour, Abbey), chair of the traffic management sub-committee, also said that he had received various emails supporting the introduction of speed bumps in the two streets.

The proposal to add five speed bumps in Boston Avenue and three in Shaw Road, Coley. Credit: Reading Borough Council

The addition of the safety measures was agreed unanimously at the meeting on June 14.

The project will be funded using Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) which is funding that the council receives from developers to pay for vital infrastructure.

Now it has been agreed, £49,000 of CIL funding will be used to install the eight speed bumps.

The committee also agreed to establish zebra crossings at Imperial Way and Whitley Wood Lane using £157,500 in CIL funding.