Reading drivers face five weeks of rolling road closures

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-11 17:15 3 min read

A freshly paved road junction with a warning sign stating no road markings present.

Reading motorists, cyclists and bus passengers face a rolling programme of closures as 17 sections of road undergo resurfacing from 17 August. Daytime and overnight work will affect routes including Friar Street, Bath Road, Henley Road and the A33 Relief Road.

Reading Council says advance signs and diversion routes will be provided. Parking restrictions will apply, while access to affected homes and businesses will be maintained whenever it is safe.

August closures begin in Caversham

The first phase concentrates on Caversham and roads south of the town centre:

Gosbrook Road, George Street to Mill Road: 17–18 August, 8am–5pm.
George Street, Gosbrook Road to Queens Road: 19–20 August, 8am–5pm.
High Street, full length: 21–22 August, 7pm–1am.
Crown Street, full length: 24 August, 8am–5pm.
Southampton Street, Crown Street to the roundabout: 25 August, 8am–5pm.
Eastern Avenue, Crescent Road to Upper Redlands Road: 26–27 August, 8am–5pm.

Overnight work moves to the IDR and A33

Drivers using Reading’s inner routes should prepare for four consecutive overnight stages in early September:

IDR slip road from Southampton Street: 1–2 September, 7pm–1am.
Northbound IDR from the A33 to 106 metres north: 2–3 September, 7pm–1am.
Northbound A33 Relief Road, Island Road to 175 metres south: 3–4 September, 7pm–1am.
Northbound A33 Relief Road, 127 metres south to Imperial Way: 4–5 September, 7pm–1am.

Friar Street, between West Street and Station Road, follows from 7–10 September. Work is scheduled for 7pm–1am, but the road will remain closed throughout that entire period.

Reading drivers face five weeks of rolling road closures

Bath Road and Henley Road close later in September

The remaining confirmed schedule is:

Bath Road, from 2 Hogarth Avenue to 1 New Lane Hill: 10–12 September, 7pm–1am.
Manor Farm Road, Longships Way to Basingstoke Road: 14–17 September, 7pm–1am.
The Forbury, Forbury Road to St Laurence’s Church: 17–19 September, 7pm–1am.
Blagrave Street, Forbury Road to Valpy Street: 21–22 September, 8am–5pm.
Bath Road, Brunswick Street to Harrow Court: 23–24 September, 8am–5pm.
Henley Road, Chiltern Road to Lower Henley Road: 25–28 September, 8am–5pm.

The Road Maintenance work includes planing and resurfacing, drain cleaning and renewed road markings. Sites were selected after structural and skid-resistance surveys. The programme is backed by a £2.9 million government grant and £1.1 million of council funding covering carriageway work, Pothole Repairs and bridge maintenance.

Reading Council may add reserve sites if funding allows. Commuters should check the council’s daily programme updates and roadside notices before travelling, particularly because dates may change as work progresses. A similar resurfacing programme in Anwick shows how phased works can continue across several weeks.

Source: Reading Borough Council News

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The dates, working hours, affected road sections and funding figures were checked against Reading Borough Council’s published programme.

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