PJA was appointed by Shiplake Parish Council to prepare a concept design for this junction to improve the public realm.

The concept design will form a supplement to the Neighbourhood Plan for the area to help guide onward investment in transport infrastructure in the village.

Shiplake village centre is dominated by a priority junction between Station Road, Mill Road and Northfield Avenue. The junction has a large land take and subsequently limits space available for pedestrians.

The village shop, The Baskerville public house, Shiplake railway station and a butcher’s shop are all located at or near the junction. The resultant footwall at this location presents an opportunity to reduce the dominance of motorised vehicles and to create an attractive and safe public place for all road users.

To inform the design, PJA analysed a wide range of data including bus turning movements, commercial deliveries, servicing arrangements, personal injury collisions, traffic count surveys, parking beat surveys and pedestrian count surveys. Additionally, tracking of a refuse vehicle was undertaken to demonstrate that large vehicles could safely navigate the proposed junction.

The centre point of the concept design was a new paved roundel, with the junction relocated slightly further south to reduce vehicle priority and allow a view into The Baskerville public house for those travelling from the west. The relocation also allowed for an enlarged footway area on the north-eastern corner of the junction alongside the village shop, providing an opportunity for a new seating area as requested by the local residents.

A high level cost assessment for the concept design was also undertaken by PJA.