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• Archive Index 2009

News Archive - Week Beginning 6th December 2009

The editors say: 'Health and Safety' is often trotted out as the reason for stupid things, not least barriers around Christmas trees. We think the official H&S instructions should have to published whenever they're cited; we suspect they rarely exist.

Buses

Reading Transport Ltd (RTL) has won £2.16m from the Department for Transport’s Green Bus Fund towards 20 dual diesel-electric buses - to be introduced in Reading from mid-2011. (Reading Post, 09/12/09 p14, Reading Chronicle 10/12/09 p12)

There has been opposition in Emmer Green to proposed changes to the number 24 bus route, which are due to come into operation from 11th January, 2010. EGRA has lodged a complaint with Reading Buses over the matter - the bus company says that it is removing the Kiln Road part of the route because not enough people use it to make it financially viable. Reading Buses can be contacted via 0118 959 4000 or via their web site. (Reading Chronicle 10/12/09 p10)

The Audit Commission has praised Reading via it ‘oneplace’ website, which provides a range of information on how local public services are performing. Green flags are awarded for ‘exceptional performance or innovation’ that others can learn from – Reading scores (perhaps surprisingly, with regards recent headlines) particularly well for its public transport provision. (Get Reading 11/12/09 p4)

Details are provided by ‘Caversham Bridge’ of the changes to the Number 27 bus route. From 11th January 2010 it will operate via Reading Bridge to and from Reading Station instead of via Caversham Bridge and Central Caversham. From Amersham Road, Service 27 will turn right into Star Road and left into Briant’s Avenue. These changes make it possible to improve the frequency to 30 minutes. However, the change removes the link between Lower Caversham and Caversham Centre and CADRA has asked RBC and Reading Buses to review this. (Caversham Bridge, December 2009)

Environment – Caversham

A letter criticises the RBC for enclosing its Christmas tree at St Martin’s Precinct in central Caversham inside an unsightly metal cage. The letter says that this action by the Council makes ‘the whole thing look absolutely pathetic’. The writer suggests that the cage is the result of the RBC’s fears of vandalism or health and safety issues, and that it makes the tree resemble ‘a monstrous eyesore’ – with no place to put presents at its base. (Reading Chronicle 10/12/09 p14)

Planning

The Emmer Green petrol station site in Buckingham Drive was sold at auction for £1.4m on Monday, December 7th by its freeholder, the RBC. The winning bid exceeded expectations, and RBC Labour councillor Tony Page said: “it’s great to see what it sold for and it means the council tax payers benefit from that as we have more money to invest in other projects”. (Reading Evening Post 09/12/09 p10)

Senior Citizens

‘Caversham Bridge’ describes the activities of the Friends of Albert Road Day Centre – set up in April 2008 to support the work of the centre, which provides an opportunity for some 50 local senior citizens, many of whom live alone or have limited mobility, to socialise and make new friends. To enquire about becoming a friend of the day centre or supporting its summer fete, please call Tina on 0118 948 4067. (Caversham Bridge, December 2009)

Traffic

A letter from RBC Conservative transport spokesman (and Peppard Ward councillor) Richard Willis declares surprise at the objections raised in the letter from Colin Lee and Paul Bardos concerning the Reading Station proposals (‘Reading Post’, 09/12/09), and says that their objections seem to be based on fundamental misapprehensions and misunderstandings about the scheme. In summary, Councillor Willis says the scheme is not RBC-led, but is a Network Rail scheme over which the Council has some influence. He comments that the proposed northern interchange will be important for those residents accessing the station from Caversham but ‘it is most certainly not the “main interchange”’, and says that the Vastern Road will remain a dual carriageway as it is now. (Reading Evening Post 09/12/09 p12)