West Berkshire roads get a facelift – with more potholes for repair

Another £400,000 is to be spent fixing potholes in West Berkshire.

The district council has approved its 2025/26 Highway Improvement Programme, and the £400,000 uplift for pothole repairs follows the change in criteria on repair depth from 50mm to 40mm.

The council plans to resurface almost 65km of roads and says it is increasing its investment in footway maintenance.

Key highlights for 2025/26 include a £12m investment in highway resurfacing projects – £4m more than 2024/25.

This additional funding will allow the council to bring forward major works on the B4009 Long Lane, A4 through Woolhampton, A329 south of Streatley, A339 east of the Swan Roundabout, A339 south of Newbury, A329 at Basildon, and the A4 east of Hungerford.

£1.7m has been allocated for highway drainage and flood risk improvements – nearly doubling last year’s funding of £800,000.

This includes improvements around Burghfield Bridge, drainage works on Paices Hill in Aldermaston, and drainage improvements at Membury Industrial estate.

And £1.6m has been set aside for active travel measures to promote walking and cycling along with further rollouts of 20mph zones across the district.
The ongoing Theale Station improvements get £3.5m to enhance accessibility and parking and a £1m investment in Bus Service Improvements to enhance public transport is also planned.

Stuart Gourley (Lib Dem, Newbury Clay Hill), executive member for the environment and highways, at West Berkshire Council, said: “This programme is a significant and ambitious step towards creating a prosperous and resilient West Berkshire.

“By investing in and improving key infrastructure projects across our roads, drainage and transport networks, we’re not only significantly improving our roads but also making our roads and communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

“These significant improvements will benefit residents, businesses, and visitors across West Berkshire.”