South Wokingham Distributor Road (SWDR) Central Section

What we’re planning to do

The Central Section will run from the roundabout on Waterloo Road, at the end of Eastern Gateway, to the roundabout next to Tesco on Finchampstead Road.

Improvements will also be made to the junction of Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road, a scheme known as Western Gateway.

You can see what the Central Section will look like when completed, or see a summary of the South Wokingham Distributor Road project.

The Central Section will be single carriageway, with a shared footway and cycleway beside it and wide, tree-lined verges. This will create a safe distance from the road and provide drainage.

Pedestrians and cyclists will have priority at junctions and there’ll be pedestrian crossings with island refuges at regular intervals. The road will be lit and will have a 30mph speed limit.

There’ll be extensive planting and landscaping along the new road to ensure there are more habitats for wildlife than before it was built.

Permanent changes to existing road at new junction

As part of this scheme, part of Easthampstead Road will be permanently closed to traffic. Access will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists only.

You can see what the final road layout will look like.

Where the Central Section meets Easthampstead Road, there’ll be a new signalised three-way junction offering access to and from the northern half of Easthampstead Road. 

This will help create access for new housing that’s coming later and will work as follows:

• Except for buses, eastbound traffic on the new Central Section won’t be able to turn left onto Easthampstead Road
• All westbound traffic on the new Central Section will be able to turn right onto Easthampstead Road
• All southbound traffic on Easthampstead Road will be able to turn either left (eastbound) or right (westbound) onto the new Central Section

Access to the southern half of Easthampstead Road will be shut off to form a new cul-de-sac. 

All northbound or southbound through traffic will instead follow a new link road, rejoining Easthampstead Road near the junction with Heathlands Road.

Once the new road opens, HGVs heading north along Easthampstead Road will no longer be able to turn left into Heathlands Road, though all other traffic will.

The Star Lane level crossing will remain open after the works are completed, but will be closed while works are taking place.

New Emm Brook bridges and changes to footpaths

The Central Section will cross the Emm Brook via a new road bridge, with measures to offset any increased flood risk including drainage channels and ponds.

There’ll also be a separate footbridge, to be built alongside it, which will be highly accessible and a significant improvement on the existing footpath crossing.

You can see what this new road layout will look like.

As part of the Central Section works, some of the footpaths in this area will be permanently redirected around the new road and the new development that will follow.

However, they will offer the same level of access before and will follow broadly the same route. 

Additionally, as part of the housing development, they will be resurfaced to a higher standard with permissive use for cyclists.

Programme timeline (subject to change)

These will overlap with works at the junction of Finchampstead Road and Molly Millars Lane, which are expected to cause disruption from late July 2025 until March 2026.

As with any project of this complexity, there’s always a risk of unforeseen delays so these timings may change, in which case we will update this page.

• Spring to early Summer 2025 - Trees and vegetation cleared along route, public footpaths closed between Gipsy Lane and Luckley Road / Ludgrove track, internal road built with temporary crossings for construction vehicles
   
• May to Autumn 2025 – Ludgrove track closed at eastern end, with alternative vehicle access off Heathlands Road, to allow construction traffic to cross Ludgrove track
   
• Summer 2025 – possible temporary reopening of public footpath 10 (Gipsy Lane rail overbridge to Ludgrove track). Can NOT be guaranteed at this stage, still under evaluation for safety
   
• Autumn 2026 – closure of additional public footpath between Easthampstead Road and Waterloo Road
   
• Winter 2025 to Summer/Autumn 2026 - Easthampstead Road closed between Waterloo Road and Heathlands Road for works on new junction with Central Section
   
• Summer 2026 – target reopening dates for public footpaths (May to July)
   
• Winter 2026 – Road aiming to open by end of year, final works to continue into early 2027

Diversionary routes

When Easthampstead Road is closed to the south of Waterloo Road, all vehicles will be diverted as follows:

• Northbound - Old Wokingham Road, Waterloo Road, William Heelas Way, London Road (A329) and Peach Street (A329)
   
• Southbound - Peach Street (A329), Broad Street (A329), Rectory Road (A329), Wiltshire Road (A329), London Road (A329), William Heelas Way, Waterloo Road and Old Wokingham Road

When Heathlands Road is closed, all vehicles will be diverted along Nine Mile Ride (B3430), Old Wokingham Road and Easthampstead Road, or the other way round.

Project background and history

A planning application for this project was approved in spring 2021 and detailed design work was finished in winter 2021.

Planning conditions have been discharged and ownership of the land has been transferred to us, allowing work to begin.

The work is being forward funded by Homes England, to be repaid through contributions that developers building homes in this area are required to make.

We’re working closely with the developers to ensure the new road and housing proposals complement each other. 

Enabling works, including vegetation clearance and closure of public footpaths, took place in spring 2025. Main works will begin in summer 2025.

Get all the latest updates

We’ll update these pages as often as we can. Sign up to our South Wokingham community newsletter for the latest updates, including any unexpected changes to the works schedule.