£29 million approved for controversial Reading transport schemes

Two controversial roads to speed up travel times for people across Reading have won £29.2 million in funding.

The funding will be pumped into the South Reading and East Reading Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) schemes.

Businesses cases for both schemes, which demonstrate high value for money, have been approved by the Berkshire Local Transport Body.

Reading Borough Council’s transportation vision for the future which includes commuters using direct link buses to get to and from the town centre

The money is coming from the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), and the agreement at the meeting on Thursday, November 16, means the funds can be released as the scheme are being constructed.

£10 million will go to the South Reading MRT and £19 million has been reserved for the East Reading MRT .

The money has been granted to the council for the sole purpose of these schemes and cannot be used on anything else.

Reading continues to grow and firmly remains the economic capital of the Thames Valley region.

“With this success comes increasing demands on limited road space.

“The only realistic way we can absorb that growth is by making sustainable travel choices quicker and more attractive to people.”

When completed, the MRT schemes will serve those living in the south of Reading and people coming from the east.

Wokingham borough.

If approved, construction will begin in 2019.

However, campaigners have objected to the East Reading MRT, claiming it would destroy the landscape and increase pollution .

A spokesman from Save Our Ancient Riverside (SOAR) said: “The scheme has been branded by its critics as a desecration of the historic Kennet Mouth at its confluence with the Thames.

“It seems the Berkshire Local Transport Body is bent on turning Reading into a place where no one wants to live by building this monstrous concrete bus lane over the precious Kennet Mouth.”

has organised a public debate on the East Reading MRT scheme at 7.30pm on Friday, December 1 at Reading School, Erleigh Road, Reading.

The meeting has been planned as a ‘three on three’ moderated debate between campaigners on one side, and Cllr Page and two supporters of the scheme on the other.

Source

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/29-million-approved-controversial-reading-13938255

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