MORE bollards, a reduced speed limit, fewer cars -- those are some of the options being discussed after a fourth car crashed into a Wokingham town centre shop in as many months.

A white Subaru rammed into the front of Station Fish Bar on Station Road on Sunday (February 20) afternoon.

Fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident.

However, this is the third incident of its kind to have occurred in Wokingham town centre since October 2021.

The first occurred on October 27 when a BMW X3 smashed into Hunters Estate Agents on Peach Street.

 

A number of incidents where cars have crashed into shops in Wokingham has led residents to question what can be done to prevent this from happening again

A number of incidents where cars have crashed into shops in Wokingham has led residents to question what can be done to prevent this from happening again

 

Three cars were involved in the incident and four people were taken to hospital for treatment.

It is understood the driver fell ill at the wheel immediately before this incident, causing the crash.

On December 15, a car crashed into the Clarks shoe store on Market Place.

Police said the driver then reversed out of the shop and drove away from the scene in the direction of Bracknell.

A man in his twenties from Slough was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, drink-driving, driving without insurance and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

On January 14, a black Land Rover smashed into Boots on Market Place.

 

A number of incidents where cars have crashed into shops in Wokingham has led residents to question what can be done to prevent this from happening again

A number of incidents where cars have crashed into shops in Wokingham has led residents to question what can be done to prevent this from happening again

 

Police said the store’s perfume cabinet had been raided and the Land Rover was later discovered abandoned nearby.

And more than a month later, the white Subaru smashed into the Station Fish Bar.

The circumstances of this incident are still unknown, however.

Following the shocking crash, campaign group WATCHWokingham took to Facebook to call for a 20mph speed limit throughout the town centre.

 

A number of incidents where cars have crashed into shops in Wokingham has led residents to question what can be done to prevent this from happening again

A number of incidents where cars have crashed into shops in Wokingham has led residents to question what can be done to prevent this from happening again

 

Adrian Betteridge, a member of the campaign group, told this newspaper WATCH has been in regular contact with Wokingham Borough Council about making the town safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

READ MORE: Police confirm no injuries in fish bar smashing

He said: “One of the things we said to them was ‘you could materially make life better by just paying a bit more attention to simple things like speed limits, filtering the occasional road so that walkers and cyclists can use it but the cars can't’.

“There's lots of opportunities to make things materially better without spending a lot a large amount of money.

“We think we can make it a lot safer, in particular around residential areas, town centres and places like that.”

 

A number of incidents where cars have crashed into shops in Wokingham has led residents to question what can be done to prevent this from happening again

A number of incidents where cars have crashed into shops in Wokingham has led residents to question what can be done to prevent this from happening again

 

After the Boots shopfront smash several residents called for bollards to be introduced on pavements to prevent cars from getting close to buildings.

But Wokingham Town Council leader Imogen Shepherd-DuBey is not sure this is the answer.

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Discussing preventative measures to stop cars crashing into shopfronts, the councillor said: “Ultimately, the possibility is removing cars from the town centre all together.

“But until we've got alternate routes around the town, such as the relief roads, we can't really talk about that.

“I'm not sure what the answer is. We can look at putting better bollards around town. But quite honestly, with the [Boots] incident in the town centre, no matter what protection you put in, [they] were going to do it anyway.

“I think the ultimate thing is, possibly when we've got alternate routes and there are people walking around, is to reduce the amount of cars coming through the town.”