• Archive Index
• Archive Index 2010

News Archive - Week Beginning 31st January 2010

The editors say: Given that the British government is giving less aid to earthquake-stricken Haiti than some bailed-out bankers are getting paid in salary and bonuses, we can only applaud the efforts of a local family to help by a sponsored cycle ride. Read more.

Buses

Reading Transport chief executive James Freeman has said that 'more passengers than normal' have been using the bus service between Lower Caversham and Reading Town Centre and Coley, owing to the temporary reduction in fare prices to £1. Fares go back up to £1.70 Easter Sunday, April 4th. (Reading Chronicle 04/02/2010 p3)

Crime

The Caversham neighbourhood police inspector, Inspector Penny Mackenzie, is reported to have said that the number of burglaries in Caversham Heights remains "substantial". If you have information about local crimes, you can call the Thames Valley Police on Tel: 01865 841148 (which will be cheaper than the premium rate number the TVP normally quotes). (Reading Post 03/02/2010 p56)

An 89-year old resident of Newlands Drive, Caversham, was the victim of a rogue paving firm posing as the legitimate company (Terrafirma) that he had hired. The rogue company extracted several hundred pounds more from the elderly resident than the price of the original quote had been for, and caused considerable damage to the front of his property. Reading Trading Standards and the RBC are now investigating the matter. (Get Reading 05/02/2010 p19)

Charity

Members of a Caversham family, brother and sister Ben and Amy Shimeld and their mother, are to cycle 100 miles to Bristol over half term to raise money for the aid effort to help Haiti in the wake of the earthquake there. To donate to the bike ride appeal, visit this site. (Reading Chronicle 04/02/2010 p7)

A team of volunteers from the Caversham-based offices of the engineers Babcock have helped to tidy up the overgrown outdoor area of the New Directions learning centre in Wilson Road in West Reading, in order 'to give something back to the community'. The Babcock volunteers are to reported to have had a great time and filled up a number of waste bags from Whale Bag, a local recycling company. (Reading Post 03/02/10 p54)

Planning

Concerns raised over the ‘design codes’ of buildings overlooking Friar Street in relation to the Station Hill development proposals were discussed at the RBC planning committee meeting on Wednesday, February 3rd. The Council agreed that the buildings were now in line with the ‘architectural finish’ of the other buildings in the Sackville Developments’ scheme – therefore removing another obstacle to the progress of the £400m scheme. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) is still objecting to the height of the tallest buildings in the scheme, and is urging the RBC to produce a masterplan for the whole station area before the Station Hill development is allowed to proceed. (Get Reading 05/02/2010 p5)

In a visit to Reading on Thursday, February 4th, former Labour leader Lord Neil Kinnock gave his support to the Reading Station redevelopment project. He stood with Labour prospective parliamentary candidates Anneliese Dodds and Naz Sarkar handing out leaflets promoting the scheme during the rush hour, with Lord Kinnock saying that the development was “driven by a terrific partnership between Reading Borough Council and British Rail… …it’s entirely good news”. (Get Reading 05/02/2010 p5)

Roads

Two Caversham mothers, Laura Harmsworth and Gill Caveen, have collected more than 300 signatures for a petition demanding a pedestrian crossing to be placed on the Buckingham Drive / Peppard Road stretch of road as it heads towards Emmer Green. They want the RBC to place the crossing there on grounds of child safety - in the words of Laura Harmsworth, "we don't want to wait for an accident to happen before action is taken". The petition is available online. (Reading Chronicle 04/02/2010 p28)

Rubbish

The RBC environment scrutiny panel was due on Thursday, 3rd February to discuss the £611m re3 joint waste contract (involving Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell councils) to ensure that residents are getting value for money. The three councils signed the 25-year Central Berkshire Waste Contract with Waste Recycling Group (WRG) in 2006 – the targets of the contract include a minimum 40% recycling / composting rate by 2010-2011. (Reading Post 03/02/2010 p55)

Schools

Staff, parents and governors gathered at Hemdean House School in Hemdean Road to officially open a new main hall at the school on the evening of Thursday, 28th January. Pupils at the school will hold their own party to mark the opening at a later date. The opening of the new hall more-or-less coincides with the 150th anniversary of the school. (Reading Post 03/02/2010 p6)

Traffic

The 'Chronicle' describes in a feature the RBC's business case summary for its phase one bid to the Transport Innovation Fund (Tif) for £52m plus ongoing funding in exchange for implementing a Low Emiisions Zone (LEZ), which would force polluting lorries to pay £50 to enter Reading town centre from the end of 2011. The document shows that the Council expects hostile and sceptical reactions to the LEZ from hauliers and other businesses, and are worried about the public reaction if the bid is expanded as planned to ask for more money in exchange for considering a congestion charge. In order to combat this potential opposition, the RBC intends to hire a PR manager to 'sell' or 'spin' the LEZ to members of the public in the six-month period prior to the scheme going live. Phase one of the scheme is currently being analysed by the Department of Transport. (Reading Chronicle 04/02/2010 p14)