Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. Regular walking leads to improved physical and psychological wellbeing and also provides an opportunity to meet new people. Walk for fun, fitness or simply to get away from it all with family or friends!
Walking routes in Reading
Reading walking routes include:
Prestige walking routes (red) – busy areas of the town with high public space and street scene.
Primary walking routes (orange) – busy urban shopping areas and main pedestrian routes
Secondary walking routes (blue) -medium usage routes through local areas leading into primary routes
Link Footway (yellow)- low usage, short estate roads to main roads
Public Rights of Way (green) – a path that anyone has the legal right to cross by foot.
These walking routes in Reading can be found in the following maps:
Below you will find some of the points illustrated in the Code:
Walking
Use pavements if provided (including any path along the side of a road)
If there is no pavement, keep to the right-hand side of the road so you can see the coming traffic
Help other road users see you by wearing something light-coloured
Walking with young children, keep between them and the traffic and hold their hands firmly
Large groups of people walking together – use a pavement if available; If none keep to the left and have look-outs at the front and back of the group
Motorways. You must not be on motorways or slip roads except in an emergency
Crossing the road
Use a safe crossing where possible
Cross the roads following the Green Cross Code
At a junction – look out for traffic turning into the road, especially from behind you
Barriers – cross the road only at the gaps provided for pedestrians
Tactile paving – raised surfaces felt underfoot provide warning and guidance to blind or partially sighted people
Bus and cycle lane – take care in these lanes as traffic may be moving faster than in the other lanes, or against the flow of traffic
Helping the environment
Walking instead of using the car has many benefits for us and our environment, these include:
Reduces air pollution – which causes damage to our health and surroundings
Slowing climate change – car emissions are one of the predominant causes of greenhouse gases
Less noise pollution – noise produced by traffic causes damage to our health and affects local wildlife
Reducing traffic congestion – with less cars on the road, car journeys will be faster and easier
Strengthening the neighbourhood and local centres – using local shops, cafés rather than driving to ones further away
Creating demand for more green and traffic free spaces – more people walking encourages even more people to walk and dedication of more space to do this
Health benefits of walking
Walking is one of the easiest ways of getting active for all ages and it has many benefits:
Improves health and fitness
Relieves stress and anxiety
Is great for your imagination
Helps you sleep better
Helps you think better
A good way to socialise
The easiest way to walk more is by making walking a habit – by including walking in your daily routine:
Walking as part of your journey to work
Using the stairs instead of the lift
Leaving the car behind for short journeys
Walking the children to school
Doing a regular walk with a friend
Going for a stroll after dinner
Developing Reading’s walking network
Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) – a sub-strategy to our emerging Reading Transport Strategy 2036, sets out ambitious plans to transform our streets and encourage more people to choose cycling and walking for local journeys, or as part of longer multimodal journeys.