Reading Liberal Democrats

Reading Lib Dems have posted objections to the Traffic Orders advertised by Reading BC for closing Station Hill as part of the planned Sackville development opposite the station.

The traffic orders would allow the permanent closure of Station Hill/Station Approach, preventing through traffic following a transfer of Council land to Sackville Properties as part of the Station Hill development. The publishing of the Orders – done in a way that failed to make the public aware of this major change – has been slammed by the Lib Dems.

Transport spokesperson Cllr Ricky Duveen objected as the station area plans did not include facilities for bus passengers.

“Bus passengers will be queuing in the streets around the station rather than at any new bus station with facilities like an information desk, public loos etc. They will also have to walk in the open quite some distance to get to and from the station.

“The council’s use of the word ‘interchange’ is a misnomer when you look at the details of their plans.”

Reading East PPC, Gareth Epps, agrees and added:

“The poor facilities for bus passengers, taxis and private hire vehicles will lead to more traffic pressure on roads around the station. The lack of passenger facilities is being pushed forward for the benefit of the Sackville development and will produce chaos for travellers rather than provide a 21st century transport interchange.

“The way the Council have given minimum publicity to this massive change is a disgrace. This decision could forever shut off through bus travel outside Reading Station – but Reading’s Labour bosses do not want to breathe a word about it.”

Reading Buses are planning to stop running the 63/64 services to Colemansmoor Rd, Woodley Airfield and Glendevon Rd areas in September, replacing the service with an hourly service by extending the route of the 62.

Savage cuts to Woodley’s bus services are being considered as part of a drive by Reading Buses to reduce their currently unsustainable financial losses.

The new 63/64 had been a glowing success, adding over 11% to journey numbers, but like all of Reading’s buses has recently been hit by the impact of the recession.

Reading Buses cut back services over the summer, and has announced plans to withdraw the 63/64 from Colemansmoor Road, Airfield and Glendevon Road areas and replace them with an hourly service by extending the J62. A decision was delayed following short term funding from Reading Borough Council.

Phill Challis, Lib Dem councillor for Loddon ward on Wokingham Borough Council said “My colleagues and I will be lobbying hard to ensure that the Tory led council in Wokingham fulfils its responsibility to maintain an acceptable service on the socially necessary routes”

Gareth Epps said “We want to understand the effects of these cuts on local people. That’s why Liberal Democrats have launched a bus user survey. We welcome your views so we can give Reading Transport feedback about the bus services local people need.”

Gareth continued “A reliable bus service is important to many residents and I and Lib Dem Councillors will make representations to get a better deal.

Please help me to understand the needs of local bus users by taking a few minutes to complete and return the survey which can be found here.”

Thank you for your time.

Gareth Epps,

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

Reading East

Opposition to Sackville Properties’ Station Hill development opposite the new Reading Station has had its ranks swelled, as Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Reading CllrGareth Epps has added a stinging formal objection to the scheme.

Cllr Epps has launched a stinging attack on the plans for “shutting down the chance of a central transport interchange, maybe for the rest of this century.” He has also slammed Labour Reading Borough Council for failing to provide a masterplan for the area, leaving the vital bus interchange pushed away to Valpy Street and failing to balance the need for offices and residential accommodation. It is a point he had made repeatedly in private and then in public in April on the launch of the Station Hill proposals.

The news comes as the influential Government design watchdog CABE has echoed Cllr Epps’ objections. CABE state concern about Reading Council’s failure to provide a planning blueprint for the area, and criticise the way the proposals fail to direct passengers arriving at Reading to the proposed bus area. CABE’s submission says that:-

“…the shape of the piazza and the position of the buildings around it do not create a legible environment with routes and views that will easily guide pedestrians towards the new station building and bus interchange. Views of the bus interchange and new station entrance will be obscured. We are concerned that without a detailed spatial masterplan that shows how the various projects in and around the station will link together, Reading’s vision will not be delivered successfully.”

Commenting, Gareth says:-

“I have warned that the Station area is far too important to be left to developers to design. Yet that is entirely what the Labour Council has done. It has failed to produce a masterplan for the area taking a lead from the station plans, and has lost the support of CABE for this reason. The result is unacceptable, as I predicted publicly in April and privately before that.

I am detecting considerable public unease at the lack of a proper transport interchange around the new station. These plans – including part of the current transport interchange – is guilty of shutting down the chance of a central transport interchange, maybe for the rest of this century.

The Station Hill development, and the other major developments to come by the station, simply must be guided by a framework that protects the public interest. That includes – or should include – the new public transport interchange that can only be provided now. Bad planning now removes the possibility of that happening forever. Shunting Reading’s buses over to Valpy Street would be a massive step backwards, and would indicate that Reading’s Labour council is far more concerned in appeasing developers than in creating the environment around the station that Reading so badly needs.”

Editor’s Notes:
Cllr Epps’ objection to the Station Hill planning application is available on request.

Its conclusion is:
“While we support the vision that Reading Borough Council has to redevelop the station and the land around, because of the concerns raised, we are unable to support this current planning application. There are a number of policy documents that set out the broad parameters for how the area should be developed. We think, however, that in reviewing planning applications 09/01079/OUT and 09/01004/LBC together, the need to develop a clear relationship between the projects has been demonstrated. We are concerned that without this, it is only when the development has been built, that the full impact of one project on another can be realised. Given that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to redevelop this area of Reading, we urge Reading Borough Council to review the Station Hill development in light of a comprehensive masterplan for the wider area, before determining this planning application.”

Following the council’s moves to consult local people on the Reading Station development, Cllr Ricky Duveen, the Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson on the Council said: “We very much welcome the opportunity for people to learn about and comment on the planned development. Reading needs an effective public transport interchange.”

Ricky continued by saying “What appears to be taking shape is a series of bus stops along Blagrave Street rather than any terminus with facilities for passengers such as loos, a tea shop or an information desk. I just think Reading deserves better.”

Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary campaigner for Reading East said: “Labour are making many promises, but the truth is that this project relies on getting a huge injection of funds from a Government already running out of cash.

The Station Hill development should be providing much, much more to this area. But like the space for the integrated transport interchange the town really needs, it looks like our Labour bosses are letting the town down with Station Hill’s contribution to the wider Station project.”

Liberal Democrats in Reading have warned, ahead of this week’s public unveiling of proposals of the new Station Hill development, that the plans could jeopardise a once-in-a-century chance to achieve a fully integrated transport interchange next to Reading Station.

The Liberal Democrats are concerned that rail users could be taking second place to development interests, and have criticised the drive to close Station Hill to buses in particular.

The Lib Dems on the Council have repeatedly advised against splitting the transport interchange, as it would cause confusion for passengers and encourage car journeys to and from the Station. As currently envisaged, there will be no fewer than three separate transport interchanges for buses, taxis etc, linked to the proposed new station building.

Commenting, Cllr Gareth Epps, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the Borough Council, said:-

“There is a huge danger that Reading loses an unrepeatable opportunity for a world-class transport interchange.

Labour Council bosses have had the chance to negotiate with developers to plan a development that enables high quality public realm and allow through bus travel past the Station.

Relegating many buses to Valpy Street hardly sends a positive message that we want to integrate public transport.”

Cllr Ricky Duveen, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, added:-

“The Station Hill development plans appear to shift the buses further away from the station.

I am very worried that what I’ve heard about Station Hill 2 will shut the door on linking transport at the Station. We should be putting passengers first.

While it’s obvious the area needs regeneration, the Labour-run Council cannot allow that regeneration at any price.”

Reading’s Lib Dems have campaigned for many years for action to tackle the problem of speeding on many of Reading’s roads.

Local people in 7 of the 16 Police Neighbourhoods in the town have identified speeding as a priority for police action.

Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council campaigned successfully to get the Labour-run Council to invest £10k as part of the 2009-10 Budget in speed guns to help local communities record speeds in their areas and get action taken.

The use of mobile speed guns where speeding is a problem will mean that motorists will need to take heed or risk points on their licences and fines.

Lib Dem councillor for Tilehurst and spokesperson for transport, Cllr Ricky Duveen welcomed the move.

Cllr Duveen said: “In Tilehurst, like many areas, the local Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) registered speeding as its second key priority after anti-social behaviour.

Without any enforcement action motorists simply ignore speed limits and the biggest contributory factor on most road accidents is speed.

Up until now, NAGs have been unable to take action on speeding due to the lack of equipment but now local Police Teams will finally get the tools to enforce speed limits on our streets.”

Cllr Gareth Epps, Lib Dem Group Leader on Reading Borough Council and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Reading East added: “Finally we can provide local neighbourhood police teams with a method of enforcing speed limits. This is an excellent result that stems from Lib Dems pushing for more action on local priorities.”

Reading Lib Dems have condemned today’s inflation busting increases in rail fares and criticised the government’s lack of control of rail fares.

Spokesperson Cllr Ricky Duveen (himself a commuter to London) said, ‘I am disgusted that train operators like First Great Western can be allowed to push up fares at double the rate of inflation. The Labour Government has shown itself, once again, to be toothless in regulating private sector companies.’

‘A 6% increase on an annual season ticket to London means an extra £240 that commuters need to find in an increasingly bleak economic outlook.’

‘I rang this morning to enquire about the cost of a new season ticket to London (including the Underground) and was quoted £4,152. This is outrageous. How does this government hope to get more commuters to leave their cars and use public transport instead with these prices which are far and away the most expensive commuter fares in Europe.’

‘A lot of Reading commuters will be very angry when they next go to renew their season tickets.’

Liberal Democrats have welcomed the results of the recent Neighbourhood Consultation on highways and traffic in the Maidens, Christchurch Rd and Whitley Street neighbourhoods, and called on the Council to respond quickly to residents concerns.

Cllr Daisy Benson, Redlands councillor, whose ward includes the Christchurch Road neighbourhood said, “We have been campaigning for some time now to get the traffic flow in the area looked at. The mix of parking, speeding cars, buses, and pedestrians on narrow streets in the area has worried many local residents. We will keep pushing the Council to sort out the problems.”

Cllr Gareth Epps, Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Reading East, and Katesgrove Councillor, whose ward covers the Whitley Street neighbourhood said, “It is clear that road safety and the safety of pedestrians are key concerns. The Council must act now to make the roads in these areas safe for everybody to use.”

“Local centres are what should give Reading its character. It is important that we give these areas special attention to make them as pleasant as possible, to encourage more people to use them and help local businesses to thrive.”

Cllr Ricky Duveen, the Lib Dem Spokesperson on Transport, today outlined his party’s response to the Briscoe Commission.

Cllr Duveen emphasised that the Lib Dems had engaged wholeheartedly with the work of the Commission since it was set up. They had sent in a comprehensive list of suggestions for dealing with congestion in Reading, many of which had been adopted by the Commission.

‘Unlike the Tories whose central plank seems to be building a new road to bring more traffic in to the town centre, we do need to find new and innovative ways of dealing with road congestion which is the biggest threat to the town’s future development.’

The Briscoe Report does set out the need for one major scheme, the Third Thames Bridge but steers clear of making any recommendations for solving the key bottleneck of Cemetery Junction where there is little consensus as yet. It does support Lib Dem ideas for expanding Park and Ride schemes to cover all major access routes into the town, for better ticketing options for bus users and for improving cycling and pedestrian routes. It also very clearly buries the one-way IDR scheme.

The Briscoe Report sets out two very key issues that need to be set out for the people of Reading as it is they who must decide on any eventual solutions.

Firstly, there is an unwelcome fact to address in that all the major schemes for reducing traffic congestion in Reading rely on the co-operation of neighbouring authorities who have differing priorities. Our council does not have a good track record on joint schemes, although the current work at Junction 11 is progressing well. The Third Thames Bridge has been talked about for 30 years with very little to show for it. There is clearly a need for a Traffic Authority of some sort that will take a regional view of the transport infrastructure in the Thames Valley as a whole and will have the power to push through such schemes if they can be shown to bring major benefits to the region as a whole. Such an authority would, in our view, also require a democratic mandate from the people of the Thames Valley, a government appointed quango will simply not do.

Secondly, the Report states that road charging in some form will be part of the solution to Reading’s traffic congestion. The Lib Dems have for some time now been promoting the idea of charging lorries using our town as a through route and causing a lot of the congestion, not to mention air pollution and wear and tear to our roads. We already have the technology to introduce such a scheme and we need to put the case to local residents and businesses now. If we can convince them that this is key factor in reducing congestion then we can go forward and put together a fully costed proposal for the people of Reading to make the final decision. It may be that taking a large number of lorries off our roads will be enough to ease the worst of our traffic problems and avoid the need to bring in further charging, but we need a full and open debate on road charging now and that is one of the key findings of the Briscoe report. We welcome this opportunity to engage with local people on such a vital issue.

Cllr Duveen re-iterated that politicians of all parties now had the task of engaging with local residents and setting out the case for schemes to combat congestion and to ensure that the town continues to thrive economically. ‘I look forward to a lively debate following the excellent work of the Briscoe Commission. We have always said that any major scheme will need the support of the people of Reading and we need to win their backing before imposing grand ideas such as the one-way IDR.’

Editor’s Note
Follow this link to the Briscoe Report page Independent Commission reports

A public meeting will be held on 3 July in the Town Hall which will give Reading people and councillors the chance to discuss rail services with bosses of First Great Western (Reading Borough Council press release of 20 June refers).

Cllr Ricky Duveen, the Lib Dem transport spokesperson on Reading Borough Council remarked:

“We look forward to this meeting, which is the result of a Lib Dem motion to Council earlier this year. Residents have shared their worries with us about poor service and high fares on the railways. They will now get the chance to put these concerns directly to First Great Western bosses.”

Editors Notes