Traffic will be allowed to move faster on the A4 near Waitrose, despite concerns from pupils and parents of nearby Robert Sandilands School.

West Berkshire Council is expected to raise the limit between the Waitrose roundabout and Starting Gate from 30mph to 40mph tomorrow.

More than 14,000 vehicles use the stretch every day, with average speeds already at 39mph. But the school handed over a 150-signature petition to try block the move.

Highways experts have since quelled fears from the parents and pupils, but a local councillor asked who had asked for such a measure. He was told: “The proposal was not generated by public representation, but by officers’ professional recommendations.”

Teen burglar suspect

A 16-year-old girl has been charged with burglary after being found in a property in Springfield Lane, Greenham, yesterday morning. The girl has been charged with failing to surrender to police and burglary in a dwelling and will appear before Reading Youth Court on April 1.

Man charged for police attack

Robert Charles Fotheringham, aged 63, of Birchell Road, Speen, has been charged with assaulting a police officer. He was charged yesterday after answering police bail and will appear before West Berkshire magistrates on March 24.

Floodlit pitches for town

More floodlit sports pitches are to be built yards from Henwick Sports pavilion. £800,000 of lottery cash has been secured for new games pitches at Fir Tree School, and also at Greenham Court School on the Nightingales estate. New statistics show that three out of four children only do any exercise at school.