Reading Borough Council Transport Consultation

[wooly350i]

I heard in local radio yesterday that evidently Reading council want the town to be ‘carbon neutral’ by 2030, so we know how that’ll pan out with the car don’t we!

[wooly350i]

outnumbered said:

While we're grumbling about traffic in Reading, has anyone else noticed that they've made Portman Rd/ Richfield Ave into a 30 limit now ?

A friend who used to be a Reading councillor (tory) told me that Cllr. Page doesn't even live full time in Reading, he reckons he's mainly based somewhere in East London. Not sure if it's true, though !

Edited by outnumbered on Wednesday 9th October 18:22

Yes it’s true plus would appear so has Richfield Avenue with little or no publicity!
I noted today that a kind sole has stuck ‘30’ stickers on the backs of both speed cameras, now that is most sensible, bloody council would never dream of it!!

[ChevyChase77]

ElectricSoup said:

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

.

Aside from that, a fairly harsh critique of Reading there. Not exactly Shangri-La, no, and I'll be delighted to leave the place once I'm retired, but until then it's not really much better/worse than any other major town in the London commuter belt.

Same here. It's getting worse/rougher all the time.

I think we're planning on moving further west, depending where you can get much more for your money property wise.

See I don't get that "it's getting rougher" thing. I think the opposite is happening. It was rough as a bear's arse when I moved here in 1995, there was barely a pub you could go in without wondering if you'd get out alive. Now it's a relative haven of peace and choice. It's been getting progressively more middle class year on year. All the flats going up in the town centre are mega expensive, but people are moving out of London to Reading in droves - people with decent jobs, young families.

And yet in the last few months armed police turned up to an address on the Oxford Road because of a knife wielding gang having an argument. Several stabbings. Somebody was shot only last week/week before. More homeless people. More druggies. Lots of discarded needles all over the place nr the Kennet etc.

[ElectricSoup]

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

.

Aside from that, a fairly harsh critique of Reading there. Not exactly Shangri-La, no, and I'll be delighted to leave the place once I'm retired, but until then it's not really much better/worse than any other major town in the London commuter belt.

Same here. It's getting worse/rougher all the time.

I think we're planning on moving further west, depending where you can get much more for your money property wise.

See I don't get that "it's getting rougher" thing. I think the opposite is happening. It was rough as a bear's arse when I moved here in 1995, there was barely a pub you could go in without wondering if you'd get out alive. Now it's a relative haven of peace and choice. It's been getting progressively more middle class year on year. All the flats going up in the town centre are mega expensive, but people are moving out of London to Reading in droves - people with decent jobs, young families.

And yet in the last few months armed police turned up to an address on the Oxford Road because of a knife wielding gang having an argument. Several stabbings. Somebody was shot only last week/week before. More homeless people. More druggies. Lots of discarded needles all over the place nr the Kennet etc.

None of which is new. There were problems like this 20 years ago.

[PurpleTurtle]

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

.

Aside from that, a fairly harsh critique of Reading there. Not exactly Shangri-La, no, and I'll be delighted to leave the place once I'm retired, but until then it's not really much better/worse than any other major town in the London commuter belt.

Same here. It's getting worse/rougher all the time.

I think we're planning on moving further west, depending where you can get much more for your money property wise.

See I don't get that "it's getting rougher" thing. I think the opposite is happening. It was rough as a bear's arse when I moved here in 1995, there was barely a pub you could go in without wondering if you'd get out alive. Now it's a relative haven of peace and choice. It's been getting progressively more middle class year on year. All the flats going up in the town centre are mega expensive, but people are moving out of London to Reading in droves - people with decent jobs, young families.

And yet in the last few months armed police turned up to an address on the Oxford Road because of a knife wielding gang having an argument. Several stabbings. Somebody was shot only last week/week before. More homeless people. More druggies. Lots of discarded needles all over the place nr the Kennet etc.

All against a backdrop of reduced Police numbers and officers leaving TVP in their droves - I personally know two long-serving officers who have left in the last 12 months and one sorting his exit strategy.

Actual recorded crime rates are pretty static - 0.1% increase between October 2018 and September 2019, latest figures available.

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/f...

TVP in Reading have limited resources, so are focussing them on dealing with the County Lines drug dealers, before they get (too much of) an established foothold in the town, exacerbating the problems you describe to a much higher level.

That is why you will see the stats for drug trafficking are up 40% year on year - because they are nicking more dealers - but possession stats are down by 22%, because they don't have the resource to also deal with the users. Hence it appears to be more of a problem than it was before, when in reality it has always been there. It would be a lot worse, if resources were not being focussed on the dealers. Our easy connectivity to London is brilliant for commuters, but drug dealers love it to. That's who was trying to chop each other on the Occy Road.

[ChevyChase77]

ElectricSoup said:

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

.

Aside from that, a fairly harsh critique of Reading there. Not exactly Shangri-La, no, and I'll be delighted to leave the place once I'm retired, but until then it's not really much better/worse than any other major town in the London commuter belt.

Same here. It's getting worse/rougher all the time.

I think we're planning on moving further west, depending where you can get much more for your money property wise.

See I don't get that "it's getting rougher" thing. I think the opposite is happening. It was rough as a bear's arse when I moved here in 1995, there was barely a pub you could go in without wondering if you'd get out alive. Now it's a relative haven of peace and choice. It's been getting progressively more middle class year on year. All the flats going up in the town centre are mega expensive, but people are moving out of London to Reading in droves - people with decent jobs, young families.

And yet in the last few months armed police turned up to an address on the Oxford Road because of a knife wielding gang having an argument. Several stabbings. Somebody was shot only last week/week before. More homeless people. More druggies. Lots of discarded needles all over the place nr the Kennet etc.

None of which is new. There were problems like this 20 years ago.

I see much more drug dealing than I did 20 years ago.

[PurpleTurtle]

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

ChevyChase77 said:

ElectricSoup said:

.

Aside from that, a fairly harsh critique of Reading there. Not exactly Shangri-La, no, and I'll be delighted to leave the place once I'm retired, but until then it's not really much better/worse than any other major town in the London commuter belt.

Same here. It's getting worse/rougher all the time.

I think we're planning on moving further west, depending where you can get much more for your money property wise.

See I don't get that "it's getting rougher" thing. I think the opposite is happening. It was rough as a bear's arse when I moved here in 1995, there was barely a pub you could go in without wondering if you'd get out alive. Now it's a relative haven of peace and choice. It's been getting progressively more middle class year on year. All the flats going up in the town centre are mega expensive, but people are moving out of London to Reading in droves - people with decent jobs, young families.

And yet in the last few months armed police turned up to an address on the Oxford Road because of a knife wielding gang having an argument. Several stabbings. Somebody was shot only last week/week before. More homeless people. More druggies. Lots of discarded needles all over the place nr the Kennet etc.

None of which is new. There were problems like this 20 years ago.

I see much more drug dealing than I did 20 years ago.

That's because, nationally, there is more drug dealing going on, and less Police to deal with it!

[ChevyChase77]

It's poor parenting too - or lack of.

Oh look - two stabbed in Reading...just off the 'vibrant' Oxford Road.

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshir...

[Saabaholic]

Back on the subject of Traffic.
Last week i drove back from central Germany, through the netherlands, over into france. Train back, Then dover, kent, m25 south, M4, back to Reading.. And the only traffic i hit on that whole journey, was on the damn A33 outside the Stadium / B&Q.
You can count on Reading for one thing, and thats Traffic. Its guaranteed.

[ChevyChase77]

[redacted]

[Puggit]

ChevyChase77 said:

I even saw a homeless camp right next to the IDR the other day by Chatham place.

There are tents in the big empty space opposite the station (where the Xmas market was).

[RemyMartin81D]

PurpleTurtle said:

That's because, nationally, there is more drug dealing going on, and less Police to deal with it!

Unless Reading have played at home against Millwall (Saturday just gone). Never seen so many coppers around the station. At least four proper big riot style vans and mix of BTP and TVP, plenty of cops when they WANT them to be.

[ChevyChase77]

Yep. It's amazing - I've also witness many police at non-league games where there really is no history of trouble between two sides. Overtime perhaps?

[PurpleTurtle]

RemyMartin81D said:

PurpleTurtle said:

That's because, nationally, there is more drug dealing going on, and less Police to deal with it!

Unless Reading have played at home against Millwall (Saturday just gone). Never seen so many coppers around the station. At least four proper big riot style vans and mix of BTP and TVP, plenty of cops when they WANT them to be.

That’s because Milwall away fans come with a reputation for wanting a tear-up. Years ago when buses ran down the old Basingstoke Rd I saw Milwall fans smashing up a bus before it had even got out of Duke St. Absolute dicks.

[ChevyChase77]

PurpleTurtle said:

RemyMartin81D said:

PurpleTurtle said:

That's because, nationally, there is more drug dealing going on, and less Police to deal with it!

Unless Reading have played at home against Millwall (Saturday just gone). Never seen so many coppers around the station. At least four proper big riot style vans and mix of BTP and TVP, plenty of cops when they WANT them to be.

That’s because Milwall away fans come with a reputation for wanting a tear-up. Years ago when buses ran down the old Basingstoke Rd I saw Milwall fans smashing up a bus before it had even got out of Duke St. Absolute dicks.

Certain areas of Reading come with a reputation of trouble. Oxford Road for instance. You don't see much police presence around there until something happens......

[PurpleTurtle]

ChevyChase77 said:

PurpleTurtle said:

RemyMartin81D said:

PurpleTurtle said:

That's because, nationally, there is more drug dealing going on, and less Police to deal with it!

Unless Reading have played at home against Millwall (Saturday just gone). Never seen so many coppers around the station. At least four proper big riot style vans and mix of BTP and TVP, plenty of cops when they WANT them to be.

That’s because Milwall away fans come with a reputation for wanting a tear-up. Years ago when buses ran down the old Basingstoke Rd I saw Milwall fans smashing up a bus before it had even got out of Duke St. Absolute dicks.

Certain areas of Reading come with a reputation of trouble. Oxford Road for instance. You don't see much police presence around there until something happens......

Funny, you never mentioned it before .....

[ChevyChase77]

PurpleTurtle said:

ChevyChase77 said:

PurpleTurtle said:

RemyMartin81D said:

PurpleTurtle said:

That's because, nationally, there is more drug dealing going on, and less Police to deal with it!

Unless Reading have played at home against Millwall (Saturday just gone). Never seen so many coppers around the station. At least four proper big riot style vans and mix of BTP and TVP, plenty of cops when they WANT them to be.

That’s because Milwall away fans come with a reputation for wanting a tear-up. Years ago when buses ran down the old Basingstoke Rd I saw Milwall fans smashing up a bus before it had even got out of Duke St. Absolute dicks.

Certain areas of Reading come with a reputation of trouble. Oxford Road for instance. You don't see much police presence around there until something happens......

Funny, you never mentioned it before .....

Just driven down there - what a thoroughly depressing place it is.

[ElectricSoup]

ChevyChase77 said:

PurpleTurtle said:

ChevyChase77 said:

PurpleTurtle said:

RemyMartin81D said:

PurpleTurtle said:

That's because, nationally, there is more drug dealing going on, and less Police to deal with it!

Unless Reading have played at home against Millwall (Saturday just gone). Never seen so many coppers around the station. At least four proper big riot style vans and mix of BTP and TVP, plenty of cops when they WANT them to be.

That’s because Milwall away fans come with a reputation for wanting a tear-up. Years ago when buses ran down the old Basingstoke Rd I saw Milwall fans smashing up a bus before it had even got out of Duke St. Absolute dicks.

Certain areas of Reading come with a reputation of trouble. Oxford Road for instance. You don't see much police presence around there until something happens......

Funny, you never mentioned it before .....

Just driven down there - what a thoroughly depressing place it is.

Awesome food at Kobeda Palace, you ought to try it. Outstanding.

[ChevyChase77]

ElectricSoup said:

ChevyChase77 said:

PurpleTurtle said:

ChevyChase77 said:

PurpleTurtle said:

RemyMartin81D said:

PurpleTurtle said:

That's because, nationally, there is more drug dealing going on, and less Police to deal with it!

Unless Reading have played at home against Millwall (Saturday just gone). Never seen so many coppers around the station. At least four proper big riot style vans and mix of BTP and TVP, plenty of cops when they WANT them to be.

That’s because Milwall away fans come with a reputation for wanting a tear-up. Years ago when buses ran down the old Basingstoke Rd I saw Milwall fans smashing up a bus before it had even got out of Duke St. Absolute dicks.

Certain areas of Reading come with a reputation of trouble. Oxford Road for instance. You don't see much police presence around there until something happens......

Funny, you never mentioned it before .....

Just driven down there - what a thoroughly depressing place it is.

Awesome food at Kobeda Palace, you ought to try it. Outstanding.

The state of the food outlets down there is enough to put me off. Most can't be bothered to keep the front of the establishments clean, so I've no doubt the kitchens and the backs won't be good. Lots of 1 star or less food hygiene ratings around that area.

[AlexRS2782]

Thought i'd bump this after a report on local news earlier today.

New consultation coming on March 23rd - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-51...

There's a link to far more details on RBC's site, but essentially Reading aim to follow what Bristol (and others) are doing so expect:

- Clean air zone directly in the centre of Reading banning all vehicles apart from those that are electric / v.low emission / pre-approved by the council.
- ANPR to monitor an outer zone around the CAZ which becomes a continuous congestion charge zone to prevent / discourage people driving through Reading.
- Everyone charged to drive through Reading in any "zones" - charges variable dependent on the vehicle, age, low or high emissions, etc.
- Residents & local workers will evidently "avoid" any charging and it only applies to "rat-runners".
- ...but under current plans those same residents / workers could well find the company they work for being charged a workplace parking levy because they're allowing workers to drive rather than encouraging them to use public transport links instead.