Experimental A4 Bus and Cycle Lanes

Overview

We consult residents, commuters, businesses and stakeholders to understand what people think about proposed developments, changes to our roads and pavements, or other traffic-related issues.

Update 12 May 2021 – Consultation Period Extended to 31 August 2021

Update 28 January 2022 – Clarification that zero emission vehicles are not yet permitted to use the A4 bus and cycle lanes

The easing of the Covid-19 lockdown means that traffic conditions are starting to return to normal. We are therefore extending the consultation period from 4 June 2021 until 31 August 2021. This will provide residents and people returning to places of employment an opportunity to comment on the experimental scheme when the bus and cycle lanes are fully operational in normal traffic conditions.

Why your views matter

In August 2020 we announced that we would trial dedicated bus and cycle lanes in both directions on the A4, between Huntercombe Roundabout and Sussex Place (subsequently the section between Huntercombe Roundabout and Cippenham Lane was reduced to cycle lanes only - see note below).

The overview map below shows the locations of the bus and cycle lanes along the A4:

• Section 3: Cippenham Lane to Twinches Lane
• Section 4: Twinches Lane to Farnham Road
• Section 5.1: Farnham Road to Stoke Poges Lane
• Section 5.1: Stoke Poges Lane to High Street Slough
• Section 6: Wellington Street to Sussex Place

The scheme has been introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, to encourage people to travel actively and sustainably, support social distancing measures for cyclists and pedestrians, and to prepare for the borough’s recovery.

Funded by central government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund (EATF) and introduced under Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs), the scheme can run up to 18 months, with a consultation period for six months.

The experimental scheme has been in operation between 31 August and 3 December 2020, and we have been receiving consultation responses, mostly by email, during that period.

Following a review of the responses during that initial consultation, Councillors would now like to see some operational changes to the experimental bus and cycle lanes. We have therefore introduced changes from Friday 4 December 2020.

What are the changes to the scheme?

From Friday 4 December 2020:

- The experimental bus and cycle lanes now operate peak time only, from Monday to Friday during the hours of 7am-10am and 3pm-7pm (previously at all times)

- The following vehicles are now permitted to use the experimental A4 bus and cycle lanes during those times (previously buses and pedal cycles only):

• buses
• pedal cycles
• solo motorcycles
• taxis
• private hire vehicles (“minicabs”) operated under licences issued by Slough Borough Council
• zero emission vehicles displaying green number plates under a forthcoming scheme*
• electric scooters hired from Neuron Mobility under a government trial scheme

* Green number plate vehicles (those with zero emissions) have been included in our legal order, but our signs do not yet permit these vehicles to use the bus lanes. This is something that will be considered going forward, but as yet these types of vehicles are not permitted to enter the bus lanes during the operational times, unless permitted for other reasons.

The benefits of the bus and cycle lanes operating during peak time are: 

• Improved bus journey time reliability
• Improved cycle safety
• Continued social distancing between cyclists and pedestrians

Overview map

A4 Experimental Bus and Cycle Lanes - Overview Map

Further information and enquiries

Detailed plans, the Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs), and the public notices associated with this scheme are available at Temporary A4 Bus Lane Scheme .

Additional information is available in our Frequently Asked Questions document.

A4 Experimental Bus and Cycle Lanes – Frequently Asked Questions

If you would like further information to enable you to respond to the consultation, or a copy of this consultation information in another format or language, please:

• email us at TransportPlanning@slough.gov.uk (please state “A4 consultation enquiry” in the subject line), or
• writie to us at A4 Consultation, Transport, Slough Borough Council, Observatory House, 25 Windsor Road, Slough SL1 2EL (please state “A4 consultation enquiry” at the top), or
• call us on 01753 475111 (asking for a message to be passed to Transport for Slough)

Have your say - new consultation period

We would like to receive your views on the experimental A4 bus and cycle lanes following the above changes. The amended Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) came into operation on Friday 4 December 2020 (replacing the previous ETROs for this scheme), and a new six month consultation period started on that date, finishing on Friday 4 June 2021. The consultation period has now been extended to finish on Tuesday 31 August 2021.

We would prefer that you experience the effects of the changes to the experimental A4 bus and cycle lanes before responding, to ensure that your response fully reflects them.

How to respond

Please, if possible, give your views using the Online Survey form below:

If you are unable to use the online survey, please instead give your views:

• by email to TransportPlanning@slough.gov.uk (please state “A4 consultation response” in the subject line), or
• in writing to A4 Consultation, Transport, Slough Borough Council, Observatory House, 25 Windsor Road, Slough SL1 2EL (please state “A4 consultation response” at the top)

Please respond by 23:59 on Tuesday 31 August 2021.

What about the previous consultation?

We will continue to analyse and respond to responses received during the initial consultation period between August and December 2020. If you responded then, your views will be taken into consideration. However, we would be grateful if you would respond again, following the above changes.

What happens next?

The new six month consultation period was due to finish on Friday 4 June 2021, and has now been extended to finish on Tuesday 31 August 2021. We will analyse the results of both consultation periods. We will also monitor the scheme in a number of ways.

All this information will allow us to fully understand the impact of the scheme, and will be taken into consideration in our final decision on whether to make the bus and cycle lanes permanent or to remove them.

Sections 1 and 2 - Advisory cycle lanes

Please note that the following advisory cycle lanes on the A4 in both directions between the Huntercombe Roundabout and Cippenham Lane (shown on the map above) are not part of this consultation:

• Section 1: Huntercombe Roundabout to Station Road, Burnham
• Section 2: Station Road Burnham to Cippenham Lane

What happens next

What happens next?

The new six month consultation period was due to finish on Friday 4 June 2021, and was then extended to finish on Tuesday 31 August 2021. We will analyse the results of both consultation periods. We will also monitor the scheme in a number of ways.

All this information will allow us to fully understand the impact of the scheme, and will be taken into consideration in our final decision on whether to make the bus and cycle lanes permanent or to remove them.