Consultation on subway cycling proposals

By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@rdg.today

READING Borough Council has begun a consultation on its proposals for the subway which passes under Reading train station.

It wants to remove the cycling ban currently in place for the underpass as part of a wider effort to encourage and facilitate cycling.

Opened in 2013, the underpass provides a link between the north and south sides of the station.

The space’s suspended low ceiling means that a cycling prohibition was enacted as it did not pass height or width clearances.

The council is planning redevelopment works now that it has inherited maintenance duties from Network Rail. It will invest more than £200,000 of planning agreement funding to refurbish the space.

Plans include the removal of low sections of ceiling, protection of service ducts and pipes, and the improvement of headroom clearance.

The consultation runs until Thursday, February 23, and comments will then be considered at the March meeting of the Council’s Traffic Management Sub Committee, before a final decision is made by Councillors.

If proposals go ahead, work on the refurbishment will start in the spring.

Separate proposals will also include improved signage and lighting.

Cllr Tony Page, Reading Borough Council’s lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, said: “This has been a long time coming.

“Regular pedestrians will know that the underpass is already frequently used by cyclists – albeit technically illegal under the current traffic order.

“This is a key link between the Caversham side of the station and the town centre and it has always been an anomaly that cycling was banned at this location, due to the low ceilings the Council inherited from Network Rail when the station was redeveloped a decade ago.

“The Council is delivering key new strategic cycle routes across the town, with the Shinfield Road segregated cycle lanes currently under construction, and then Bath Road/ Castle Hill later this year.”

Cllr Rob White, Green councillor and leader of the main opposition party on Reading Borough Council said: “Greens campaigned previously with the cycle campaign when the station underpass was first opened that cyclists should be able to use it.

“It would have been cheaper to have done this in the first place rather than spending money for it to be pedestrian only and then spending more to allow cyclists to use it.

“As usual, Labour didn’t listen and are now spending money to undo what was done previously.

“Greens support the underpass being for use by cyclists and pedestrians and will keep lobbying for the council to join up Reading’s cycle network. I urge people to respond to the consultation.” n Full details of proposals and participation are available via: consult. reading.gov.uk.

Both driver and passenger died at the scene – one was a 22-year-old from Reading, the other a 19-year-old from Henley. PC Matthew Stansfield, of Thames Valley Police’s Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: “Sadly two men have died following this collision. Our thoughts are with their families who have been informed and are being supported by officers.

“We are appealing for further information in connection with this incident, and would ask anyone with further information to get in touch.

“We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the red BMW travelling prior to the incident or has seen the collision.

“Additionally, if anyone has dash-cam footage we would ask them to please check it to see if it shows anything that could assist. Please upload any footage to our online portal page.

“Or if you have information please call 101 quoting reference 43230052260.”

Electrical blaze

FIRE CREWS went sent to a Stanford Dingley business last month to put out a blaze.

A fuse board of the property had ignited.

Firefighters wearing protective breathing gear used a CO2 extinguisher to put the fire out, and then crews isolated the electrical supply.

A large fan was used to clear the remaining smoke.

Two teams from Newbury Fire Station and another from Theale attended.

The incident took place at 8.48pm on Friday, January 27, and the crews were on site for around an hour and 19 minutes.