A question has been raised over why Reading Borough Council did not ask for land in Oxfordshire that would enable the creation of a Third Thames Bridge.
Discussions about a third crossing over the River Thames around Reading have been ongoing for decades, gaining more impetus after flooding closed Sonning Bridge in 2014.
The bridge, created for the A329M road, would link Thames Valley Park in Earley with Henley Road in Caversham, creating an alternative route for ‘through traffic’ – drivers who are using Reading roads to get onto the M4.
It would effectively divert traffic from Caversham, the existing bridges, the Inner Distributor Road and the A33.
But any new bridge would require approval from Wokingham Borough Council and South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC), the relevant planning authorities for the land which the bridge would be built on.
While Reading and Wokingham borough councils are supportive, SODC has opposed the bridge project.
The prospect of the new bridge has been reawakened amid discussions about Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) process, which will see Oxfordshire County Council abolished.
The Liberal Democrat controlled West Berkshire Council announced that it wanted to join with SODC and the Vale of White Horse to create ‘Ridgeway Council’ last year.
That resulted in Labour-run Reading council holding a series of consultations to create a ‘Greater Reading’ covering Tilehurst and Pangbourne.
Ultimately, Reading council requested that Tilehurst, Purley and Calcot should be added to Reading if Ridgeway Council is created in a submission to the Ministry for Local Government.
This has prompted a question over whether Reading council could have asked for the Eye & Dunsden Parish to be incorporated into Greater Reading as well.
That would enable the creation of a Third Thames Bridge without seeking consent from SODC.
But Reading council only identified areas in West Berkshire for its submission to the Ministry for Local Government.
Explaining this, a council spokesperson said: “The council’s proposal to keep all of Tilehurst in Berkshire was a direct result of the decision by West Berkshire Council to join with proposals from Oxfordshire for a new ‘Ridgeway’ council.
“We would reiterate once again that no Berkshire council was asked to submit reorganisation plans at this time, including Reading or West Berkshire.
“West Berkshire’s decision to form part of Oxfordshire’s reorganisation plans, however, would have a material impact should Reading be required to submit proposals in the future, which is why Reading Council acted.
“It is important to note that Reading’s submission is for a modification to the existing ‘Ridgeway’ plan submitted by Oxfordshire and West Berkshire. It is not a stand-alone reorganisation proposal.
“Reading council’s argument is that the West Berkshire Wards of Tilehurst Birch Copse, Tilehurst & Purley, and Tilehurst South & Holybrook should be moved into Reading and that moving these suburbs of Reading into a predominantly rural new ‘Ridgeway’ contradicts the government’s prescribed criteria that LGR proposals should be based on ‘sensible economic geography.’
“Reading council would give careful consideration to all possible options for reorganisation if and when it is requested by government to submit a future proposal.
“Whilst Reading council has always campaigned for a third bridge, this was not a factor in our LGR discussions. Our focus has been on responding to the unnecessary reorganisation that West Berkshire has proposed, and ensuring that any changes reflect the local economy and geography of Reading.”
There is a chance that the Third Thames Bridge could be enabled by the Thames Valley Mayoral Strategic Authority, which would create a combined authority for Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Swindon.
The Labour government is encouraging councils to group into combined authorities to make major decisions on strategic planning, housing and transport schemes.
But the earliest this could be created is in 2027/28, meaning the creation of any bridge is still years away.
