Some parts of south Reading have changed drastically in the last 30 years.
Since the full length of the A33 relief road opened in the late nineties there has been a great deal of development along that corridor.
The stretch down to M4 Junction 11 is home to Reading FC at the Select Care Leasing Stadium, Green Park business park and Green Park Village, Kennet Island. Campus Reading International business park, the Tesco Distribution Centre and Reading Gate Retail Park and more.
Just the other side of the motorway junction, the Mereoak Park and Ride site opened 10 years ago.
With so many new homes, businesses, retail and leisure venues in the area it has made sense to improve the transport infrastructure.
Over the years, there have been several phases of work to install bus lanes along the A33, with the aim of providing a quick and seamless journey for passengers travelling between south Reading and town.
But the Council can only carry out that work when funding is secured from Government and other sources.
The fifth phase of the South Reading Bus Transit scheme opened last week and has joined up bus lanes to the north and south of Rose Kiln Lane junction.
It has also provided new bus stops which have opened up public transport access to the shops at Reading Link Retail Park and other nearby businesses.
And probably the most visual aspect of the scheme has been the new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Kennet.
It gives cyclists and pedestrians an improved dedicated route along the A33 and it is already being well used, according to colleagues who were onsite to mark the opening of the scheme last Tuesday (4 November).
This phase was made possible thanks to the £26m funding the Council received from central government for its Bus Service Improvement Plan in April 2022.
That funding has also helped to deliver a range of services, including the community Buzz 9 and Buzz 18 bus routes, the Sunday 650 service, the introduction of Tap-on Tap-off fare payments, the multi-operator Reading All-Bus ticket, new bus lanes around the borough and subsidised park and ride fares.
The Mereoak Park and Ride service celebrated its 10-year anniversary earlier this year and has carried more than 1.4 million passengers in that time. With more connected bus lanes on the A33 and cheaper fares on offer, it will be even more attractive to visitors to Reading and take thousands more cars off our busy roads.
Of course, the Council also worked with Network Rail and Great Western Railways to open the new Green Park railway station in May 2023. And added the Buzz 9 route to connect south Reading residents with the station later that year.
All of these schemes support the Council’s aims of encouraging the use of public transport, cycling and walking to help reduce congestion, improve air quality and benefit the health and wellbeing of Reading residents.
By Cllr Liz Terry
