The following vehicular movement strategy provides effective connections for residents. It is based on the following principles:
- The desire to reduce traffic speeds through the initial design and layout rather than applied speed constraints.
- The need to retain the two shelterbelts and to limit the number of breaks in them.
- Closing Sherborne Road to facilitate safe access between the two halves of the school site and reduce ‘rat-running’ to the north via Chineham Lane.
- An easy to navigate development with simple routes between destinations.
For Popley Way, the focus has been on reducing speeds and providing better crossings. A new 20mph speed limit is imposed along those parts of the roads that front the new neighbourhood centre and on that part of Sherborne Road.
Other alterations to the road network include:
- Signalised junctions for the site access roads onto Popley Way and Chineham Lane.
- Access onto the A340 at Priestley Road by modifying the existing signal controlled junction.
- The provision of two new accesses onto Carpenters Down.
- Off-site highway improvements including: the A340 Aldermaston Road, Reading Road and Crockford Lane roundabouts; Priestley Road (north) junction; reduction in the speed limit on the A340 to 40mph south of Sherborne St.John; Popley Way (East) junction with the A33 Reading Road and traffic calming at Sherborne St.John and on Sherborne Road, Popley.
The council's Supplementary Planning Document on Parking Standards apply to all new development. The approach seeks to apply a different set of standards depending on the provision of shared parking spaces.
The North Popley and John Hunt developments are considered to have high accessibility.
