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Walking and cycling improvements in Windsor supporting sustainable and healthy travel options
We
have completed improvements to make walking and cycling safer and more
attractive for short journeys to and from Windsor town centre and
Windsor Leisure Centre.
Work
was undertaken to parts of Barry Avenue and Stovell Road, between the
Royal Windsor Way underpass and the railway arches, as part of our drive
to support sustainable travel options, healthy lifestyles and reduce
the reliance on cars for short journeys.
The area is a popular route for residents to access the town and its surrounding facilities, and the improvements include:
- Widening footways and straightening up foot crossings, for improved pedestrian comfort and accessibility
- Slightly
widening the cycle tracks under the railway arches, so they can be used
by new larger bikes, such as adapted and cargo bikes
- Changing traffic priorities at two junctions and introducing raised ‘table’ features to slow traffic
- Introducing continuous footways over car park entrances.
Pictured is Councillor Geoff Hill, cabinet
member for highways and transport, with the walking and cycling counter
installed in Barry Avenue, Windsor as part of the project.
Read more in our press release.
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Cabinet to consider proposals for subsidised bus services in the Royal Borough for 2024 and beyond
Cabinet will consider proposals next week on how
to provide subsidised bus services in a more affordable and sustainable
way from 2024.
In our borough, around half of the bus routes are currently subsidised and we invest
£1.1 million a year to support these. Due to rising costs, significant
further subsidies would be needed simply to maintain the current
services, while bus usage remains low and our finances are under
significant pressure.
Additional temporary funding is being used to support subsidised services with a series of interim
changes introduced in October last year, designed to support operators
on a smoother post-Covid journey. These were extended for an additional
12 months in March. However, a longer-term solution is needed to provide well-run and well-used services, which provide value for money.
An officer report to be considered on Wednesday 27 September, says that we need to decide how this happens in future against a backdrop of changing traveller habits arising from Covid,
including a reduction in passenger numbers compared to pre-pandemic
levels, combined with inflation and increased running costs for bus
companies.
We,
therefore, need to make some changes while ensuring that the impact on
those that use buses is minimised and that there’s coverage across as
much of the borough as possible.
Read more in our press release.
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Drive down your parking costs
We’re
continuing our Park Smart Maidenhead campaign, highlighting the range
of parking options in Maidenhead for different user groups, to help you make informed decisions around where best to park for your own needs, priorities and destinations.
Where possible, of course, we encourage people to walk and cycle for many shorter journeys into town, or use public transport. But we know that’s not always possible – so when you have to go by car, we want to ensure you know your full options and can make the most of your choices.
This week, we’re focusing on ways to save on parking, looking at our Resident Parking Discount Scheme and some of the cheapest options for parking in Maidenhead. Also check out our website
to see the choices for specific user groups, including commuters,
shoppers, blue badge holders and those visiting Maidenhead’s
restaurants. #ParkSmartMaidenhead
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If you’ve joined our Resident Parking Discount Scheme, you can get an hour’s free parking each day in eight car parks in the borough:
- Hines Meadow, Grove Road and West Street, Maidenhead
- Alma Road, Alexandra Gardens and Victoria Street, Windsor
- Horton Road, Datchet
- Meadow Lane, Eton.
You
can still apply, completely free of charge, for the permits to join the
thousands of savvy residents already saving on parking – don’t miss
out!
In Maidenhead, parking is also free in Grove Road, West Street, Hines Meadow, and Stafferton Way from 9pm until 9am, Monday to Saturday, and free from 9pm Saturday right through Sunday until 9am on Monday.
It’s free in Vicus Way from
8pm to 9am, Monday to Saturday, and free from 8pm Saturday until 9am on
Monday. Great for your evening out or weekend in
Maidenhead.
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Vicus Way
If you’d like to save money and don’t mind a 10-minute walk into town, our brand new Vicus Way car
park is very affordable and always has spaces available. Three hours
parking for £3 is at least £1.50 cheaper than town centre council car
parks.
If you take the train to London or Reading for work, Vicus Way is
a convenient five-minute walk to the Elizabeth Line GWR station and
it’s among the cheapest rail commuter parking in Maidenhead.
A great commuter parking base for London, you can park at Vicus Way all day for £6 without a season ticket, or the equivalent of £3 with a season ticket – £3 cheaper than Stafferton Way, over £5 cheaper than Hines Meadow and £1.20 cheaper than Maidenhead Station car park. Annual season tickets are also £100 cheaper than Stafferton Way next door or Hines Meadow.
Hines Meadow
If central Maidenhead is your destination, Hines Meadow has
the cheapest hourly parking of our town centre car parks and always has
spaces available for commuters and shoppers, even at weekends.
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It's party time! Join our Communities Celebration 2023
There’s still time to book your free ticket to the Communities Celebration 2023 party at Maidenhead Library on Friday 29 September, from 6.30pm until late.
It will have a fun atmosphere with a DJ, free
activities such as Thai Chi and Bhangra, plus free food and
refreshments. More than 200 people have already booked their tickets, so
come along and enjoy the entertainment.
Empowering our communities is the driving force
for this unique event to honour and celebrate the borough’s residents,
community groups, and voluntary services organisations. Organised by us
and NHS Frimley, it will also showcase the borough’s Community
Champions, World Cafes, and Innovation Funding which have all succeeded
due to collaborative working.
We do ask, however, that you RSVP here online so that we can make sure there’s enough food and refreshments to go round.
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Learn more about Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Find out more about Berkshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy at a series of free introductory webinars.
These are taking place this month and in October and are tailored to various groups.
The strategy will prioritise areas where nature can be expanded and protected in Berkshire, and we’ve
been designated as Berkshire’s responsible authority for the strategy –
one of 48 such authorities across the country. Over
the next two years, we’ll lead the work with the county’s five other
unitary authorities, or supporting authorities, and their communities.
Sessions will be held next week for developers on Tuesday 26 September at 11am, interested residents, also on 26 September at 7pm, businesses on Wednesday 27 September at 11am, and farmers, foresters, landowners and land managers on 27 September at 7pm. Sessions for NGOs will take place the following week, on Monday 2 October at 11am and for public bodies on Thursday 5 October at 11am.
Through
consultation with the groups outlined above, a nature map of
opportunities will be created, as well as a list of priorities. Register for the webinars by visiting RBWM Together.
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Ban on single-use plastics: Guidance for businesses
The Government has announced a ban on a wide range of single-use plastic items from Sunday 1 October.
Businesses must
no longer supply, sell or offer certain single-use plastic items in
England. More information can be found on the DEFRA website.
Local businesses and consumers can request advice from our Trading Standards team by emailing trading.standards@rbwm.gov.uk
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Royal Borough Community Spotlight
Here are just some of the upcoming community events and volunteering opportunities in the Royal Borough:
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Desborough Bowling Club open day (Saturday
23 September, 10am to 4pm) - 10 Green Lane, SL6 1XZ. All
residents and friends, young and old, are invited to come along and see
the club’s multi-million pound facilities and experience bowls at its
best. Tea and coffee will also be available.
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Quire Voices concert (Saturday 23 September, 7.30pm) - Eton College Chapel. The choir will perform d'Astorga's Stabat Mater and Handel's Dixit Dominus alongside world-acclaimed soloists and Orpheus Sinfonia. Visit the Windsor Festival website for tickets.
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Shakespeare’s First Folio on display (Sunday 24 September, 2.30pm to 5pm) – Eton College. A copy of this iconic book will be on public display as part of national celebrations of the 400th anniversary
of the publication of the First Folio of William Shakespeare in 1623.
This pop-up display can be viewed with the temporary exhibition
currently running. Free entry. Visit the Eton College website.
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WEA Maidenhead Branch Courses
(starting 26 September) - St Mark's Methodist Church and St Joseph's
Parish Centre. Courses include Art appreciation: Early Renaissance,
History: The Best Prime Ministers We Never Had, Art appreciation:
Caravaggio-the Bad Boy of Baroque. Details can be found at on the website (enter Maidenhead Branch in the search box).
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Group run or walk to spruce up the outdoor space at St Luke's School
(Wednesday 27 September, 6.45pm to 8.30pm) - The Maidenhead Community
Centre, 4 Marlow Road, Maidenhead, SL6 7HY. Free evening parking across
the road. Organised by GoodGym Windsor and Maidenhead, the route is
approximately 1km and it's up to you whether you walk or run. At St
Luke’s School jobs include weeding, planting, clearing up leaves,
painting planters, spreading woodchip and cleaning the bus shelter.
Gardening gloves and a head torch are recommended. Visit the GoodGym website for details.
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Free sing with Tuneless Choir Maidenhead
(Wednesday nights in September, 8pm to 9.15pm) – URC, West Street, SL6
1RL. No vocal talent is required to join the choir. First timers can
sign up for a ‘free sing’ in September, with 27 September the last opportunity. Claim your free sing on the website.
-
Royal Reminiscence: Dementia friendly mornings
at Windsor Castle (starting Wednesday 27 September, 10.30am to 12.30pm)
- Pug Yard Learning Centre, St Alban's Street. The group will talk
about the castle and how it's used today. Sessions are free of charge.
Available dates and pre-booking here or to book by phone, call 0303 1237324.
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Children's Book Sale (Thursday, Friday and Saturday 28, 29 and 30 September, 9am to 5pm) - Nicholsons Shopping Centre, Maidenhead. Alexander
Devine Children's Hospice Service is holding the first of its
autumn children's book sales. New and good as new books will be on sale
from £1. In addition, there will be Halloween costumes and on Saturday
30 September, a soft toy spinning game with a prize every time.
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Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning (Friday 29 September) – Lodge Brothers, High Street, Datchet. Enjoy coffee and cake - all welcome. More information here.
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World Food fundraising event (Saturday 30 September, 12pm to 5pm) – New Windsor Community Association, Hanover Way, Windsor, SL4 5NW. There will be Henna stalls and a BBQ featuring diverse foods from cultures around the world. Free entry. All
funds raised will go to charities working to provide support in Morocco
following the earthquake in the High Atlas Mountains earlier this
month, and in Libya following widespread flooding in Derna last week.
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Harvest Festival
(Saturday 7 October, 11am) – Braywick Nature Centre, Hibbert Road,
Maidenhead, SL6 1UU. The festival includes a guided walk and plant-based
banquet. Bring your own soup bowl (prize for most creative vessel).
Don’t forget to dress for the outdoors. Book here.
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Cantorum Choir’s autumn concert (Saturday
14 October, 7pm) - St Nicolas’ Church, Taplow, SL6 0ET. This year will
be a celebration in music of the gypsy life through songs by Brahms,
Bizet, Schumann and Gorecki, among others. The choir will be joined by
Hungarian Folk band, Unicorn Frequency. Book here.
If you have
an upcoming not-for-profit community event or appeal for volunteers
you’d like to promote in this newsletter, simply send basic information
about your event to communications@rbwm.gov.uk and it could be shared with more than 21,000 local residents.
You just
need to include a brief description, when and where it takes place, and a
link to a website/social media page/contact where people can find out
more.
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Local Travel Updates
Rail - engineering work
Planned engineering works are taking place on the South Western Railway network this weekend, Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 September. The lines in the Ascot area will be closed all weekend due to maintenance work. More information on the SWR website.
Rail - industrial action
The ASLEF train drivers union has announced strike action on Saturday 30 September and Wednesday 4 October, and an overtime ban on Friday 29 September and from 2 to 6 October. For more information on how this will affect services, visit the SWR website and GWR website.
Heathrow Airport
The Council for
the Independent Scrutiny of Heathrow Airport (CISHA) is carrying out a
project to understand how local communities perceive air quality, and
what changes they would like to see in their area. The project will be
informed by views of residents who live around Heathrow
Airport. For more information and to take part in the survey, visit
the website.
Council highways works
Essential
maintenance work to repair the A355 and A332 Royal Windsor Way is almost
complete. This work will ensure this key transport link is ready for
winter and for years to come.
This has
involved a number of overnight closures on the section of road between
the B3024 Dedworth Road roundabout in the south and the roundabout at
the junction with the M4 in the north. Two more overnight closures will
be required on Monday 25 September and Tuesday 26 September. Read more on our website.
For details of further council works on highways, visit our website. For full local roadwork details, including work by utility firms, please visit the One Network website.
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