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News Archive - Week Beginning 16th August 2009
The editors say: Reading Festival's here again. We're all in favour of it. It's a major event offering a great time to thousands. It can be a bit inconvenient but it's not as if it comes as a surprise - you can work around it. Whether you go or not, to oppose it is just mean-spirited. May the sun shine.
Buses
The trade union Unite has confirmed it is preparing to hold a full postal ballot of Reading Buses workers to decide on possible strike action. The move is said to follow a ‘heated’ meeting last week between staff and directors over the financial state of the RBC-owned company, which has faced criticism in recent months for raising prices and closing bus offices. Separately, it is reported by the ‘Chronicle’ that Reading Buses have removed 14 expensive ethanol-powered buses from local bus routes in order to conduct what the bus company says are modifications to their heating systems. (Get Reading 21/08/09 pp1, 5, Reading Chronicle 20/08/09 p3)
Crime
Three young men were attacked and robbed in two separate incidents in the Henley Road in the early hours of Sunday, August 9th, following a rave gathering close to the ISIS sports club. The assailants were a group of 6-8 young white men, ‘most of them wearing white hooded tops’. One of the attackers is said to be around 6ft 6in tall. Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt Watkins of Thames Valley Police on Tel: 08458 505 505. (Reading Chronicle 20/08/09 p30)
Planning
The ‘Chronicle’ reports that the proposals of Upper Warren Avenue householder Nigel Clark to sell his ‘Outlands’ property complete with permission to demolish it and build five houses on the land has failed. Neighbours in the Avenue had opposed Mr Clark’s planning application to the RBC, and it was refused last March. However, a subsequent appeal by Mr Clark against the Council’s refusal has now resulted in an unfavourable report from a Government planning inspector, which said the development ‘would contrast unsympathetically with the essential characteristics of the area’. (Reading Chronicle 20/08/09 p30)
Roads
The RBC imposed on Thursday, August 20th a series of new parking restrictions (including double yellow lines) in the RG4 area as part of a wider programme of restrictions across Reading. Council spokesman Oscar Mortali said that restrictions in Caversham’s Henley Road “have come about as a result of requests of local residents, including cyclists and pedestrians…” The full list of RG4 restrictions is:
- Henley Road ‘Northern Zone’ – a ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restriction has been placed on both sides of the road from its junction with Prospect Street to just past its junction with Cromwell Road. (Caversham, Peppard and Thames Ward)
- At the junction of Woodcote Way and Fernbrook Road, where a ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restriction has been introduced ‘around the east side around the junction’. (Mapledurham Ward)
- On Priest Hill, The Mount at the junction with Blenheim Road – a ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restriction has been introduced on the south and north sides of The Mount and Priest Hill at the junction with Blenheim Road (Caversham and Thames Wards)
- At the junction of Conisboro Avenue and Uplands Road – where a ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restriction has been introduced. (Reading Chronicle 20/08/09 pp5, 54)
Schools
Queen Anne’s School in Henley Road is said to have achieved a 99% pass rate in this year’s A-level results, announced last Thursday, with 79% of candidates achieving A or B grades and seven students gaining straight A grades in all their subjects. At RG4’s other secondary school, the Highdown comprehensive in Surley Row, there was again a 99% pass rate, with 47% of candidates gaining A or B grades. (Get Reading 21/08/09 p14)
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