Plans to widen A4 in Calcot are pushed forward

Members of the councils Overview and Scrutiny committee approved the plans on Tuesday to make the wWestbound carriageway between Langley Hill and Royal Avenue two lanes, to improve the flow of traffic between the West Reading/Tilehurst area and junction 12 of the M4.
It was called in for further scrutiny by Theale ward member Alan Macro (Lib Dem) who raised concerns that the eastbound A4 would remain as one lane only.
He said: "We do have significant congestion estbound, especially in the evening peak.
"Now that Ikea will soon start to be built, that will bring in a lot more traffic - I have concern about what will happen in closing time."
The road carries about 29,000 vehicles a day and has been estimated to be one of the busiest non-trunk roads in the district.
As well as the widening, the scheme would include extending the merge lane from Royal Avenue by 200 metres and lengthening the left turn slip lane on the approach to Langley Hill.
Members raised questions about whether removing right-hand turn hatches could allow them to include two eastbound lanes as well.
The hatches allow access to housing in Cranbourne Avenue, the BP petrol station and Calcot Priory over 55s housing development and it would mean that people wishing to access these areas would need to turn around at the Royal Avenue roundabout and come back down the carriageway.
Project manager in the Highways and Transport department at West Berkshire Council, Jon Winstanley, said: "We would need to ban right hand turns to do this and we would be taking away the ammenity that the residents of Cranbourne Avenue have had all this time."
Mr Winstanley, suggested that members approve the scheme and ask that a review take place of the traffic flow to see whether the hatches needed to be removed.
This was accepted and once the scheme is completed it will be reviewed in about 24 months time.
The scheme will cost about £2.9m and £2m worth of funding has been secured from the department of transport's Pinch Point fund.
The rest will come from developers conribution funds including a portion from Ikea.