Finchampstead Road to remain closed during Christmas period

The project to upgrade the existing roundabout at the junction of Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road is progressing well and is on schedule to move to the next phase in late January 2026.

The current phase (phase 3) means Finchampstead Road is closed to the north of the junction, with the next phase seeing the closure point move to the southern approach.

Work will pause on the project over the Christmas period and recommence on 5 January. This is in line with industry norm nationally and reflects the Christmas shutdown of the supply chain and third-party companies, such as utility providers.

The council can confirm that it will not be possible to reopen the road during this time. A large amount of work would need to be done – before and after Christmas – to make it safe and possible for vehicle movement, which would result in a significant delay to the roundabout project and the wider progress of the South Wokingham Distributor Road.

While the council understands this may be frustrating and disappointing to both residents and businesses, reopening the road temporarily during a quieter period for travel would ultimately be more disruptive.

Project duration

During the current phase of construction, there are a number of open excavations, making the route beneath the railway bridge unsuitable for traffic.

To reopen the road temporarily, our contractor would have to install temporary works, before removing them again in early January. These works would cause overall programme delays, extending the end dates of not only phase 3, but also phase 4.

This would also affect the intention to start work on Easthampstead Road in April as planned, with the aim remaining to finish the roundabout upgrade prior, in order to help keep traffic moving as freely as possible.

After the current phase is completed, access will return beneath the railway bridge, with phase 4 currently planned for completion by mid-March.

However, this would not be achievable if the council opened access under the railway bridge over the festive period. 

The council must also give due consideration to its financial position, and thought must be given to any decision that would delay such a major project. We are facing significant financial pressures, but remain committed to delivering major infrastructure for much-needed housing.

Working hours & festive period 

The working hours for the roundabout project, known as Western Gateway, are set by the planning approval, which must give due consideration to the relevant legislation, including but not limited to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and Control of Pollution Act 1974. 

Works therefore are permitted between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am to 1pm on Saturday only, with work on Sundays and bank holidays not permitted. Wokingham Borough Council and Balfour Beatty continue to work together to identify areas of the programme that may be improved. This includes applying to work out of hours where there is a significant opportunity to de-risk or improve programme. 

However, due to the significant utility works, which are quite linear in nature, the opportunity for such is limited. Furthermore, some works on third party assets must be undertaken by the asset owner themselves.

Wider challenges to road network

The council accepts there is a temporary reduction in capacity on the roads, with every effort being made to delay or cancel works that are not urgent. 

The council’s Streetworks team have refused permission for non-urgent requests and major work on key roads have been delayed or cancelled.

The council must also consider these other works when assessing the Western Gateway programme, as any delay on our programme may impact other third parties, including major planned utilities work in the Barkham area planned in 2026.

Town centre impact during the works

The council is monitoring data to assess the impact to the town centre. Current data indicates that people are still making their way into town despite the increase to journey times.

Data for town centre car parks shows that the number of stays for Wokingham is only marginally down by only 2.5% across September and October.

Similarly, data around footfall in the town centre does not suggest a decline and if anything suggests a small increase. However, the council recognises these are challenging financial times and has listened to businesses that say they are struggling. It is joining forces with Wokingham Town Council, working on a marketing campaign to support businesses in the run-up to Christmas and into 2026.

The council places huge value on the importance of supporting town centre businesses and doing all it can to help them thrive, not just survive. It holds regular events with businesses affected by the ongoing roundabout works, most recently in October hosted by Intersurgical and in November for the businesses affected by our work on Easthampstead Road and Heathlands Road.

Future events are planned for businesses in the Molly Millars Lane area, as well as around Easthampstead Road, ahead of when works commence next year. Their continued patience and co-operation has been invaluable.

It is important to celebrate local businesses, talk them up and not avoid them because of traffic. The council would always encourage residents to consider active travel alternatives where possible, helping to reduce overdependence on car journeys, especially when the road network is struggling.

When complete, the roundabout project and the South Wokingham Distributor Road will bring lasting benefits to the community, improving traffic flow, introducing new crossings, new shared cycle and footways and – crucially – serving the housing and additional customers for local businesses that are coming to South Wokingham.