Have your say on plans to improve Reading’s pathways and get more people walking

We are encouraging residents to have their say on our ambitious plans to maintain and improve the borough’s rights of way network in a bid to get more people using them.

Securing new pathways and reinstating historic routes that have been lost, are just two of the actions highlighted by the plan, including working with the developers of the Caversham Park estate to allow the use of some paths on the parkland.

A 12-week public consultation launches today and will close on 19 February 2023. You can have your say online.

For further information or to request alternative formats contact: transport@reading.gov.uk

Some of the existing achievements outlined in the document so far include:

• Resurfacing of key routes in the borough including the River Thames and River Kennet footpaths, with bank repairs alongside the River Thames;
• Construction of Christchurch Bridge, providing enhanced access between the Thames Path and Caversham;
• A new pedestrian bridge installed in west Reading over the railway linking the Thames Towpath (Footpath 1) with the A329 Oxford Road (Footpath 29);
• Modifications at Fobney Lock for better access to cyclists and wheelchair users.

For the future, the action plan proposes:

• Identifying new paths – including creating new paths as part of new developments;
• Reviewing suggestions for historic routes and exploring options with the aim to claim or reinstate them;
• Focussing on removing barriers for cyclists – such as gates and narrow paths, and on paths for those with restricted mobility and visually impaired such as gates, surface, gradient, and width;
• Long-term addition of street-lights on existing dark paths.

The plans have been developed following a previous public consultation in 2021, when residents and local organisations were invited to have their say on how they currently use Reading’s network, to highlight any barriers or issues to increasing its use and suggest enhancements – for example, make it more accessible to all users, better maintained or signposted.

For more information on the Council’s management of public rights of way visit the public rights of way page.

and view the Improvement Plan on the rights of way improvement plan page.