Carbon cutting and green initiatives by Wokingham Borough Council have helped its highways contractor win an environmental award.

Highways is always exciting, it’s one of the only universal services we have and it seems everyone has an opinion, one of the issues is they often don’t agree with each other.

“Ensuring residents can have smooth journeys on safe roads, whether in their vehicles, on public transport or by cycling, means keeping surfaces in a good condition" says Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport. Thousands of residents will see the benefits of improved road surfaces on main travel routes throughout the borough thanks to a £800,000 programme, starting on 19 October. This is part of your Conservative led council’s £8million investment in road improvements during 2020-21 and follows an extensive programme earlier this year. 

Wokingham Borough Council is urging residents to stay safe and shop local in the borough’s towns and villages in a new signage campaign. 

Councillor Pauline Jorgensen - executive member for Highways - is delighted to list the roads in the borough due for remedial work in October.

Phase 2 of the 2020/2021 Highways programme is planned to start on 19th October 2020.

These additional services are helping get all pupils to school who live two miles or more away from where they attend school. We’re grateful to all residents who have adjusted their own transport to avoid the school travel times and make it easier to get all children to school on time and as safely as possible.

Plastic kerbstones made from recycled materials have been installed as part of a new cycleway to help people travel in and out of Wokingham town centre. Using plastic kerbs reduces the amount of carbon produced in manufacturing, transport and construction by about 40% compared to concrete kerbing.

“Providing more options for sustainable transport options is crucial for Wokingham Borough Council to reach our carbon neutral target for 2030 and improve air quality in our town centres. 

"It's great news that within the last year, over 4,000 bikes left a re3 recycling centres have been re-used instead of being sent to landfill. This benefits our environment, as well as generating savings for council tax payers through the reduction of waste disposal costs.

One thing about working from home is you can see someone did actually come and clean the Kerbs and Gullies - I went out to speak to the Volker Highways workman and asked about the one further up the lane which floods in the winter, apparently it was full of tarmac and they have cleaned it out!