PLANS to build new roads as part of Wokingham’s £50 million Climate Emergency Action Plan have “disappeared”.

A version of the plan, published in January 2020, said £15 million would be spent on “investment in future road building and enhancement across Wokingham Borough Council road network”.

However, the updated version of the plan, which aims to ensure Wokingham is carbon neutral by 2030, does not include any road building projects.

“That disappeared because they know it’s ridiculous,” said Cllr Andy Croy (Labour).

He described the plan as “wishful thinking” and said the council will fail to hit its 2030 target even if it completes all of the projects in the action plan.

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He added: “The whole thing is a political exercise by the Conservatives to pretend they are serious about dealing with the climate emergency.”

Cllr Gregor Murray (Conservative), executive member for emissions, has said the action plan is “a working document” which is reviewed every three months and it is “continuously being updated”.

The action plan sets out a range of proposals that aim to cut emissions and generate more renewable energy.

These include building four large solar-panel farms to generate enough power for 25,000 homes, drastically cutting private car usage, improving public transport to double passenger numbers by 2030 and cutting emissions from council vehicles by 70 per cent.

According to the plan, Wokingham’s carbon footprint is 580.9 kilotonnes (kt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) and 44.5 per cent of emissions come from energy use in people’s homes while 31.4 per cent come from transport.

It shows that Wokingham emitted more carbon into the atmosphere in 2017 than several small countries did in the previous year, including Andorra (469ktCo2), Cayman Islands (546ktCo2) and Belize (568ktCo2).

A task and finish group, made up of councillors, has just reviewed the action plan and concluded that it is “a bold, ambitious document” that is “underpinned by a significant, dedicated budget and a clear governance structure”.

But the ruling Conservative Party is now looking to set up Citizen’s Assemblies, made up of people from across Wokingham, to scrutinise the plan.

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Speaking at a council meeting on October 29, Cllr Murray said the assemblies will “investigate, discuss and make recommendations” about plans to cut emissions.

He said: “We believe that this will significantly strengthen our Climate Emergency Action Plan and our efforts to promote behavioural change that promote new lifestyle choices.”

He added: “The Climate Emergency Action Plan is a tool which is continuously, being updated and helps give direction to what the residents, businesses, town and parish councils, charities and the council need to do achieve net zero carbon by 2030.

“The council has received both positive criticism and encouragement – including the plan being described as best practice.

“The council is ahead of the vast majority of other councils in attempting such a detailed plan and are regularly consulted for advice by other authorities building their own action plan.”