Published on
18 June 2026
Smoother journeys ahead with A4 bus and traffic improvements
Proposed new road layouts set to make travelling into Reading easier
Proposed improvements to the A4 London Road and Sutton Seeds Roundabout are due to move forward, including new bus priority measures to cut journey times, boost reliability and improve traffic flow.
The plans, set to be approved by the Executive next Thursday (25 June), come after recent commitments to invest an extra £500,000 a year in local bus and community transport services across Wokingham Borough. The proposed changes aim to maximise the benefits of this investment, helping to make bus services faster, more reliable and more attractive, while also improving journey times for all road users.
In March 2025, the Executive agreed to invest bus grant funding and developer contributions into developing and implementing a bus priority scheme along the A4. Local bus operators identified highway improvements to the A4 London Road as having the greatest potential to improve bus journeys across the borough.
The project is being funded by a £635,909 capital bus grant from the Department for Transport (DfT), alongside developer contributions. The first part of the scheme, which will create a new bus lane on the roundabout by converting the hatched area, will be delivered by March 2027. The remainder of the project is expected to be complete by September 2027.
The proposals were put out to public consultation earlier this year, with more than 500 people taking part. Improvements to the road layout were generally supported, with 86 per cent of respondents supporting the proposed changes to the road between the existing bus gate onto the A4 and the turn onto Liverpool Road.
Bus operators, residents and stakeholders have highlighted unpredictable journey times along the A4 London Road, particularly around the A4/A3290 Sutton Seeds Roundabout and routes into Reading. During the morning peak, there are around 21 buses per hour using the corridor, alongside more than 1,000 vehicles. Bus journey times can currently vary by up to nine minutes, affecting reliability and passenger confidence.
If approved by the Executive, the scheme would involve:
- Reducing the width of the central reservation to create space for a new bus lane approaching the A4/A3290 roundabout
- Converting existing hatching on the southern side of the roundabout into a bus only lane
- Installing additional traffic signals and updating signal timings to improve the flow of traffic
- Closing the existing bus gate from the London Road service road and re-routing buses onto the A4 London Road
- Improving road markings and signage
Improvements to bus stops and waiting areas are also planned to make them safer and more comfortable for passengers.
Wokingham Borough Council will continue to work in partnership with Reading Borough Council to coordinate improvements along the A4 and reduce disruption during construction.
Cllr Adrian Betteridge, executive member for active travel, transport and highways, said: “Attractive bus services which are frequent, reliable, connected and affordable help residents make greener travel choices, whether that’s getting to work, education or for leisure.
“These proposals are about making everyday journeys more predictable and encouraging more people to choose the bus, while also improving the A4 corridor for all road users.”
Reading Borough Council’s lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, Cllr John Ennis, said: “The consultation showed overall support within the borough for the introduction of a right turn lane into Liverpool Road.
“We now plan to move ahead with a statutory consultation on this measure which will run in tandem with the process in Wokingham Borough if their element of the scheme is approved.
“Our aim has always been to improve the reliability of public transport on this key route into Reading and I believe this package of measures, on both sides of the borough boundary, would lead to improved traffic flows and journey times for both buses and general traffic.”
