Wokingham have started the consultation process for putting a destructive car park by the Thames in East Reading. Details here: http://www.myjourneywokingham.com/park-and-ride
It is worrying that both of the consultation meetings are daytime/early evening making it hard for residents to attend and that on the website there are no detailed plans.
The beautiful Thamesside area is much loved by the local community who walk and play their often. Many people have concerns about the impact of putting a large car park, a link road into Reading town centre and a bridge over Kennet Mouth on it. There is already a petition against this project: https://www.change.org/p/no-park-and-ride-on-the-thamesside
This scheme was known as the Cross Town Route previously, Reading and Wokingham councils don’t want people to think of the park-and-ride, link road and bridge as one scheme. However, if the park-and-ride gets the go-ahead they will then put in for planning permission for the link road and bridge over the Kennet Mouth.
Given that the government is predicting road transport to increase by 46% by 2040 claims that this scheme, a car park for more cars, will do anything to reduce pollution and congestion are laughable. We need more radical measures to improve and make cheaper alternatives to the car to reduce car usage.
If Wokingham and Reading councils insist on building a park-and-ride, why not put another level on top of the new Winnersh one, which has been designed to allow this. It is on the same route into Reading and would mean we didn’t have to tarmac over yet more green space? I urge people to consider the impact of the car park, link road and bridge when responding to this consultation, and say no. Please also consider signing the petition against this scheme.
3 comments:
Well said Rob. Vehicle use will continue to grow because of schemes like this. Whatever next, a new vehicle bridge over the Thames?
One point is that you say that the Winnersh P&R is on the same route but that isn't the case for anyone coming along the A4 or from Woodley.
A great alternative would be a new station at Thames Valley Park/North Woodley - with access from and a multi-storey car park on the old Power Plant site. The business parks could rent out their car spaces on Saturday for shoppers as well to create extra space.
It is a shame this isn't on the agenda for numerous reasons - the station could be on the crossrail if it were to happen.
Thanks Adrian.
Doug, yes, but there are less people coming from the Woodley direction than down past Winnersh and people from Woodley could always drive out to Winnersh and still get into Reading in a similar time to a park-and-ride by the Thames. I agree about the station it is a shame that Wokingham and Reading no longer want to take forward a station at Thames Valley Park.
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