THE draft transport plan for Reading has been given a mixed reaction from opposition parties.
Both the Green party and the Lib Dems say the current proposals are unambitious, and want it to go further.
The leader of the opposition, Cllr Rob White, pointed out the irony of a Labour-run administration trying to fix previous transport plans from the same party.
James Moore, the leader of Reading Liberal Democrats, says the plan talks about finished actions, including Green Park railway station which opened earlier, or things that will not happen, such as a third bridge over the River Thames.
“Under Labour’s previous transport plans congestion has got worse and air pollution is one of the worst in the country,” said Cllr White. “To fix the problems caused by a Council that has done nothing to alleviate transport problems for a decade or more is going to need a brave, gutsy Labour administration with fresh new ideas, ready to take decisions.
“We need a vision of a cleaner, greener, Reading and an immediate plan to get us there with ambitious targets. Anyone taking even a skim through this latest document will know it’s none of those things.
“So we’re still stuck in Labour’s traffic, still breathing in pollution. There’s nothing much in this document to consult on, but it’s going out to public consultation anyway, and I’m sure the public will let Labour know what they think of it.”
Cllr Moore said: “The draft Reading Transport Strategy made for interesting reading and managed to both be ambitious and unambitious at the same time. Although it’s a plan leading to 2040 it already mentions things that have already been done or are close to being done, such as the Green Park and Reading West train stations, which are less strategic and just reporting on what has already happened.
“The complete opposite is true for things which are so ambitious they may never happen like the oft-talked about third Thames crossing which will need some real political will and co-ordination to ever come to a reality.”
He did feel there were some “nuggets of interest” in the plan, notable over demand management.
“There is talk of a Green Parking Tariff and Road User Charging – there is the possibility this could be delivered via something like a Low Emissions Zone for the highest polluting industrial traffic, which I would welcome,” Cllr Moore continued.
“But the devil is in the details – what solution ends up actually being delivered could be something completely different which won’t address having clean air for all within Reading. We will be watching this area with strong interest.
“It’s also interesting to see talk of a West Reading Park and Ride, a cycle hire scheme and more road safety measures but again we will watch these spaces with interest, especially things like a cycle hire scheme which previously failed in Reading and exclude the west of Reading entirely.”
Reading Conservatives were invited to comment, but did not respond.
