RESIDENTS can voice their opinion on the route of a new relief road that aims to cope with extra traffic generated by new homes in the Wokingham area.

A study into the planned South Wokingham Distributor Road was presented at the Methodist Church, in Rose Street, a fortnight ago.

The new road will connect the A329 London Road (from near the Coppid Beech junction) to the A321 Finchampstead Road (near the Tesco roundabout).

The council’s preferred route out of three options is creating a road through the centre of the new Montague Park housing development which would bisect Easthampstead Road.

An alternative option is to create a northern route hugging the Waterloo railway line, while the third option is for a southern route that would pass close to Holme Grange School.

Exhibition boards went up on Monday at the council’s offices at Shute End, and the library in Denmark Street, and will be there for eight weeks.

There will also be four dates when staff will be on hand to explain or answer any questions, this Friday and Saturday, as well as Friday, July 18, and Saturday, July 19, all in Market Place from 10am-4pm.

Wokingham Borough Coun-cil executive member for strategic planning and highways, Cllr Keith Baker, said: “Planning and building a road of this size is a major project and will have implications for a lot of people, so we want to make sure everybody has an opportunity to have their say about it. That is why we will be out and about in Wokingham market place where residents can discuss the plans with officers.

“As we have proved with last year’s consultations on the proposed routes for the Arborfield Cross Relief Road and North Wokingham Distributor Road – both of which have led to major changes in our approach – we do listen to residents and take their views seriously. And we will do so again on this occasion.” All households in the surrounding areas should receive a postcard detailing the consultation.

The plans are available to view at www.wokingham.gov.uk/swdr