Reading Liberal Democrats

Reading Lib Dems welcomed the news from Transport Minister Norman Baker who announced a consultation on giving local authorities greater control over how their roads appear on maps and satnav systems. They could be empowered to change the classification of roads in their area as opposed to Whitehall determining these matters.

Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson Cllr Ricky Duveen hailed the announcement as a great step forward and he was particularly pleased with the minister’s comment that “We are also using this as an opportunity to invite new ideas of tackling some of the problems caused by satnavs, for example lorries being directed down unsuitable roads. We want to hear suggestions as to how the current system could be improved – and how councils could better work with satnav companies.”

Ricky said ‘this may well prove to be a godsend to Reading if it means that heavy lorries are no longer routed through the centre of Reading and up the A4074.’

Ricky added that ‘I know from my own experience in Tilehurst that satnavs direct lorries down the shortest routes and often this involves travelling through residential areas outside of designated lorry routes. Getting the satnav companies to work with councils sounds like a really good  idea and should have been done a long time ago.’

Lib Dem Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced that a new £560 million ‘Local Sustainable Transport Fund’ is being set up to promote more sustainable modes of transport. Local councils will be able to bid for funding from the new fund to support local sustainable transport initiatives. This is the replacement for the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) set up and then dropped by the previous Labour government a year ago.

Welcoming the new fund, Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson in Reading, Cllr Ricky Duveen, said, I am very hopeful that Reading can tap into this fund to help develop our own ideas for reducing the carbon footprint of local transport.’

‘I am also pleased that the new fund will support the Bikeability scheme which provides cycle training to young children. This scheme has already helped hundreds of children in Reading and its future has been secured for the next 5 years.’

Image by jon smith ‘una nos lucror’ licensed under Creative Commons.

Lib Dem transport minister Norman Baker MP was welcomed to Reading by Cllr Kirsten Bayes, Deputy Leader of Reading Borough Council and Leader of the Lib Dem Group, “Securing government funding for this exciting project is fantastic news.’

‘The railway has long played a major part in the growth of Reading as a town and improving the station will help Reading continue to progress on to the fast track of economic growth for the benefit of local residents and businesses.”

Reading Train Station

Reading Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson, Cllr Ricky Duveen, welcomed news of more major investment in the rail network following the announcement by the government of plans for a further £8bn of investment in Britain’s railways. Although much of this will go into new rolling stock for Crossrail and for Thameslink there will be clear benefits to Reading commuters.

However, Cllr Duveen, was disappointed to see that no firm decision had yet been made on electrification of the main Great Western line through Reading. The commuter routes through Reading to Oxford and Newbury would indeed be electrified but not the whole mainline through to South Wales and Cornwall. This left the government with difficult decisions as to what rolling stock would be best, given that trains on the First Great Western line would need both diesel and electric power. This difficulty had been the cause of a delay in plans to replace the 40 year old HST trains that currently carry FGW passengers, slam doors and all.

‘Previous governments have left our country’s public transport outdated and underfunded and out of control after botched nationalisation schemes. It is good to see a much increased level of funding from the new government, especially given the chronic state of public finances left by the last Labour government.’

Cllr Duveen also criticised Network Rail for amassing half year profits of £300m whilst supposedly providing a public service. ‘I do not think that making fat profits at the commuters expense is necessarily the most efficient way to run a rail network and I wonder what passengers think of the impending fare rises recently announced which will soon begin to bite. I think passengers would like to see real improvements in standards and less overcrowding on commuter lines before being asked to subsidise rail companies profits. How much longer do we have to stand on overcrowded trains every day whilst paying the highest rail fares in Europe?

Creative Commons image of Reading Station by mattbuck4950

Article updated 30/11/2010

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.”