Speed limits could be reduced to 30 miles per hour on several roads in Shinfield, in a decision to be made at Wokingham Borough Council next week.

The new restrictions are proposed to be introduced on Basingstoke Road, Tabby Drive, Church Lane, Hyde End Lane, Hyde End Road and Beech Hill Road – which all currently have 40 miles per hour limits.

Councillor Paul Fishwick – responsible for roads – is expected to formally sign off on the proposals on Tuesday, October 31. It comes after years of demands from neighbours for reduced speed limits on some of these roads.

Council documents say highways officers have looked into reducing the speed limits here before – but couldn’t get the backing of police, who felt they wouldn’t be enforceable without traffic calming measures.

But the documents suggest that housing developers have now agreed to install new traffic calming measures, meaning police no longer object to the proposals.

Councillor Chris Johnson, who represents Shinfield, said the decision to cut the speed limit on Basingstoke Road was “ten years overdue,” at a council meeting in September.

He said: “We have a lot of roads that have now got housing estates on either side. We’ve got more and more junctions, we’ve got pedestrian traffic wanting to cross those roads.

“We’ve got facilities on both sides of roads where we’re going to get children crossing to go to school etc. And they are roads that are still 40 miles an hour where we’ve been pressing for a 30 miles an hour limit.”

He added: “An example is Basingstoke Road through Three Mile Cross, Spencer’s Wood etc. It’s ten years overdue to be dropped to a 30 miles an hour limit because of various developers causing it to be put back.”

READ MORE: Basingstoke Road speed limit could be cut

If formally approved next week, 30 miles per hour signs would only be put up on Hyde End Road, according to the council proposals.

An all of the other roads, the limit would be introduced by installing street lighting. That’s because the law says the speed limit is automatically 30 miles per hour on built-up roads with street lighting.

“Proposals to reduce the speed limit for Shinfield Area from 40mph to 30mph was originally investigated in 2019/2020 fiscal year. At that time the proposal was not supported by the police due to lack of physical measures to encourage drivers to reduce their speeds.

“However, following further consultation with the developer, it was agreed that additional traffic calming measures would be implemented by the developer.”

The documents also say that the council won’t be responsible for installing the traffic calming measures, which will be the responsibility of housing developers.