More than 860 residents have signed a petition calling on Wokingham Borough Council, contractors and delivery partners to produce an explicit timetable for reinstating pedestrian and cycle access at the Star Lane railway crossing, which has been shut for months while the South Wokingham distributor road (SWDR) works continue.
Petition to be presented at full council
The petition will be presented at Thursday’s full council meeting through the council’s public participation process. Campaign organiser Harvey Aaron will ask councillors what further measures can be taken to achieve the "earliest safe restoration" of access and to publish a clear, time-bound action plan within 10 working days.
“Given the prolonged blanket closure of pedestrian and cycle access linked to the SWDR works at Easthampstead Road / Star Lane, and given that the petition has reached more than 800 signatures, will the council publish, within 10 working days, a clear, time-bound action plan to restore safe pedestrian access as soon as physically possible, rather than treating any tentative October reopening as the default position?”
Mr Aaron and campaign supporters argue the closure severs a vital connection between communities and forces pedestrians and cyclists onto a diversion of almost two miles. They say the disruption undermines local objectives for walking, cycling, road safety, net-zero ambitions and residents’ wellbeing.
Calls for practical interim measures
The campaign sets out a range of practical options it believes should be actively considered to enable earlier, safe access. These include temporary protected corridors, rigid barriers, surfacing, lighting, signage, marshalled access, phased working, out-of-hours access, and alternative segregated routes. The organisers also ask whether the Gipsy Lane footpath and bridge — reported closed since around February 2025 — could be reopened or repurposed as part of a solution.
- Petition signatures: more than 860
- Reported diversion distance: almost two miles
- Gipsy Lane footpath closure: since around February 2025
Accountability and timeline demanded
Campaigners want the council and contractors such as Balfour Beatty to work together to provide a timetable and to actively review interim measures rather than relying on a projected reopening in October. The petition seeks transparency on what options are being examined and when residents might expect restored access for pedestrians and cyclists.
| Issue | Detail |
|---|---|
| Petition signatures | More than 860 |
| Reported diversion | Almost two miles |
| Gipsy Lane status | Closed since around February 2025 |
The matter will be raised directly with councillors at the full council meeting, where residents will be seeking concrete commitments and a clear timetable for restoring a connection many describe as "vital" to everyday journeys across Wokingham.
