Public meeting over Purley one-way system

Consultation over permanent change to one-way route through village to take place tonight (Tuesday)

TALKS over a change to traffic through Purley-on-Thames will take place tonight (Tuesday) as residents get to sound off on the possibility of a temporary one-way route through the village becoming permanent.

A public meeting will be held at Purley Barn in Beech Road at 7.30pm in which West Berkshire Council traffic officers and members of Purley-on-Thames Parish Council will speak to members of the public about the one-way system which has been in place through a section of the village since January.

West Berkshire Council introduced the system to improve safety near Purley Church of England Infants School.

Vehicles have only been able to travel west along Purley Village and turn left into Purley Lane.

No Entry signs were placed at the junction with Nursery Gardens to prevent vehicles heading north over the railway bridge.

The new scheme allowed Network Rail to carry out repairs on the railway bridge, and now transport officers will look at making the system permanent.

The ward member and executive member for highways and transport David Betts (Con) said nothing had been set in stone, and tonight's meeting was for residents to give feedback on the trial to the council.

“Its up in the air at the moment, we will wait until we get all the reaction in and then look at it. If the system was made one-way permanently then obviously safety measures would be taken, such as widening the pavement and altering the entrance to the school. The road could be altered because it wouldn't take two lanes of traffic.

“If there is a negative response then it could be the case that we drop it entirely,” he said.

A spokeswoman for West Berkshire Council, Peta Stoddart-Crompton, said: “The extent of the consultation was agreed with the ward members and Parish Council chairman. The properties included Purley Village from Farm Close westwards, Purley Lane, Nursery Gardens, Westridge Avenue and Allison's Gardens.

“Temporary signs erected last Tuesday at both ends of the one-way system in Purley informing about the public meeting. In addition to all this, letters and copies of the consultation were given to around 60 children at Purley school.”