Green park station/south Reading station

[AthleticoSpizz]

Lot of urban development already happened...and still ongoing....will be another Lower Early.

The promise of proper transport links not materialising must already be a concern

[tmesis]

Lot of urban development already happened...and still ongoing....will be another Lower Early.

The promise of proper transport links not materialising must already be a concern

Builder gets the go ahead to build a new development on the condition that transport links and other facilities are included. Builder builds development, and doesn't build the other stuff. Councils shrugs it shoulders.

It's hardly a new story, sadly.

[AthleticoSpizz]

No, sadly not....Jennetts Park anyone?

The ‘£ palm-greasing’ along the way helps them (the developers....and local Councillors) alledgely.

[Elm Park Kid]

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/opening-new-reading-train-station-20890690

Folk (e.g. Andy Burnham) who play up divisive politics and go on about the big gulf between North and South WRT public transport infrastructure projects only need to look at this to say it's not as clear cut as that.

This is just another halt on an existing line, right? And it's taken as long as cross rail to implement (even this thread is dated 2007). Pretty pathetic. The transpenine route will probably see improvements before a single passenger has alighted at this wretched station.

The issue is though that the price of land means that every infrastructure project in the south is twice as expensive as in the north. So, the government has to spend twice as much providing the same level of transport provision to Reading as it does somewhere like Huddersfield.

Reading is a prime example of a place that created a lot of economic activity but wasn't willing to develop enough green land to accommodate it. So you can drive 15 minute out of the city centre and see nothing but farmland, but a one bed flat costs 15 times the annual salary of someone on the living wage.

[Green]

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/opening-new-reading-train-station-20890690

Folk (e.g. Andy Burnham) who play up divisive politics and go on about the big gulf between North and South WRT public transport infrastructure projects only need to look at this to say it's not as clear cut as that.

This is just another halt on an existing line, right? And it's taken as long as cross rail to implement (even this thread is dated 2007). Pretty pathetic. The transpenine route will probably see improvements before a single passenger has alighted at this wretched station.

Might it be because there is probably little demand / benefit regarding the Green Park station ?

Not according to the article I'm commenting on, but perhaps you know more?

[RG30]

READING'S Green Park Station is taking shape with a new footbridge linking the two platforms now in position.

Construction on the new £20 million station began in Spring 2019 and is now progressing well despite initial delays to the project caused by the pandemic.

Reading Borough Council is leading on the construction and work is expected to be completed by November this year. A commissioning period involving the train companies and Network Rail then follows, where the Council needs to wait four to six months for the station to receive authorisation to be entered into service. Green Park Station is expected to be open for public use by June 2022.

The 15-meter bridge spanning the double tracks and weighing approximately 24 tonnes was lifted over the railway using a 200-tonne mobile crane. The full installation of the 2 lift shafts, 2 stair flights and support towers and the overbridge were lifted in over four consecutive weekends, and work was completed on Sunday 8 August 2021.

The completion of this significant milestone follows the practical completion of two 150m platforms and the completion of the main steelwork for the Station Building.

Over the coming weeks, works will continue onsite to complete the blockwork associated with the station construction and will conclude with the fit out of the necessary equipment within the station building and platform.

Green Park Station will sit on the Reading to Basingstoke line and will be served by a half-hourly service north to Reading and south to Basingstoke through the day. It will consist of two platforms with disabled access and a multi-modal interchange with a surface level car park, bus stops, taxi rank and cycle parking.

When complete, the new station will help to alleviate queues on the busy A33 by offering an alternative sustainable mode of travel. It will significantly improve accessibility to the south Reading area where large-scale development is taking place, including the expansion of Green Park Business Park and Green Park Village. The station will also be served by buses operating on the Council’s South Reading Mass Rapid Transit route between Mereoak park & ride and Reading town centre.

Tony Page, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, said: “It is good to see real progress on the construction of the new Green Park Station with the new passenger footbridge in position.

“As with all major construction projects, the health emergency did cause some initial delays but, all being well, we are now around 3 months away from construction being complete. The station will then be commissioned by Network Rail and GWR before it can open for public use next year.

“When operational, Green Park Station will form an integral part of Reading’s ever-growing sustainable transport infrastructure with more homes, businesses and leisure developments planned in the south of the borough. It will also be another option for football fans heading to the Stadium on match days, again taking the pressure off our busy roads.”

GWR Business Development Director Tom Pierpoint said: “It’s exciting to see Reading Green Park Station starting to take real shape with the installation of the new footbridge. We are working closely with the Council and Network Rail to deliver a project which will provide even better connectivity for customers.

“Reading is a key destination on our network and this new station will help to secure the economic prosperity of the region as we seek to build back better from the pandemic.”

The Green Park Station scheme was granted approval by the Berkshire Local Transport body in November 2014 with £9.15m funded through Thames Valley Berkshire LEP’s Local Growth Fund. A further £5.6m will come from s106 developer contributions. In July 2017 the Department for Transport announced the further £2.3m of funding to ensure the station keeps pace with demand expected from proposed major new developments in the area, In November 2019 the Council secured an additional £2.477m from the Government’s New Stations Fund, and £550k from Thames Valley Berkshire LEP’s (Local Enterprise Partnership) Local Growth Fund, for Green Park Station, bringing the overall budget for Green Park to £20.077m.

https://media.reading.gov.uk/news/green-park-station-takes-shape?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Orlo

[Hendo]

Went through it on Saturday on the train from Basingstoke and it is indeed taking shape. Will hopefully be a really good option for match days and take some pressure off the roads.

I will have to work out the cost/time benefit compared with getting off the train at Reading and getting the bus v getting the train to Green Park as I usually come from London.

[Fox Talbot]

Went through it on Saturday on the train from Basingstoke and it is indeed taking shape. Will hopefully be a really good option for match days and take some pressure off the roads.

I will have to work out the cost/time benefit compared with getting off the train at Reading and getting the bus v getting the train to Green Park as I usually come from London.

As a London Royal I'll be interested in your analysis. My starting position is the bus will be more flexible in time than a scheduled rail service and get you much nearer the stadium.

The big winners of GP are Tadley and Mortimer folk.

[Nameless]

Folk (e.g. Andy Burnham) who play up divisive politics and go on about the big gulf between North and South WRT public transport infrastructure projects only need to look at this to say it's not as clear cut as that.

This is just another halt on an existing line, right? And it's taken as long as cross rail to implement (even this thread is dated 2007). Pretty pathetic. The transpenine route will probably see improvements before a single passenger has alighted at this wretched station.

Might it be because there is probably little demand / benefit regarding the Green Park station ?

Not according to the article I'm commenting on, but perhaps you know more?

I asked a question, not made a statement.
The article doesn’t really say what demand there might be. We know it’s near enough irrelevant for the stadium and Green Park has loads of parking .
You would think a study was done to assess demand but there’s hardly a lot of noise in the town about the lack of a station. There are other infrastructure project that are way more beneficial to the area but not yet in place.

[Hendo]

Went through it on Saturday on the train from Basingstoke and it is indeed taking shape. Will hopefully be a really good option for match days and take some pressure off the roads.

I will have to work out the cost/time benefit compared with getting off the train at Reading and getting the bus v getting the train to Green Park as I usually come from London.

As a London Royal I'll be interested in your analysis. My starting position is the bus will be more flexible in time than a scheduled rail service and get you much nearer the stadium.

The big winners of GP are Tadley and Mortimer folk.

Agreed in the main, I am mostly thinking about midweek games where traffic can be a bit of a nightmare, rather than a Saturday as it'll be much easier to just get a train down at whatever time and have a few beers in town before jumping on the bus. If the trains line up nicely though it could be worth it.

Oh for sure, if I was still living in Tadley or Basingstoke I would 100% be getting the train, no doubt about it. I can imagine it would probably see an end to the bus which goes from Basingstoke and through Tadley, it might as well only go as far as Burghfield.

[Green]

Might it be because there is probably little demand / benefit regarding the Green Park station ?

Not according to the article I'm commenting on, but perhaps you know more?

I asked a question, not made a statement.
The article doesn’t really say what demand there might be. We know it’s near enough irrelevant for the stadium and Green Park has loads of parking .
You would think a study was done to assess demand but there’s hardly a lot of noise in the town about the lack of a station. There are other infrastructure project that are way more beneficial to the area but not yet in place.

The article lists the reasons for delay and lack of demand or perceived benefit was not one of them.

[Dirk Gently]

I'm still not conmvinced how useful this will be, except for a relatively small number of people, particularly those going to Basingstoke.

Only the two platforms, both on a main line (as used by Cross Country Trains) so there's no way trains can sit and wait for injury or extra time to finish, and I don't believe there'll be any extra services or carriages laid on by the TOC, so the first train after a match will be absolutley rammed and then it'll be a long wait for those who didn't get onto it.

And island platform with the provision of a shuttle to and from 'Ding would have been useful - this will be much less useful.

[St Pauli]

No, sadly not....Jennetts Park anyone?

The ‘£ palm-greasing’ along the way helps them (the developers....and local Councillors) alledgely.

Jennetts Park has a pub, a primary school, and a coop.

That’s more than most new developments get!

[AthleticoSpizz]

The pub was already there.

The Co-op arrived a lot later than originally promised, the sitting residents were kicking-off big time about it a few years back.

But yeah, it’s better sorted nowadays.

[Green]

I'm still not conmvinced how useful this will be, except for a relatively small number of people, particularly those going to Basingstoke.

Only the two platforms, both on a main line (as used by Cross Country Trains) so there's no way trains can sit and wait for injury or extra time to finish, and I don't believe there'll be any extra services or carriages laid on by the TOC, so the first train after a match will be absolutley rammed and then it'll be a long wait for those who didn't get onto it.

And island platform with the provision of a shuttle to and from 'Ding would have been useful - this will be much less useful.

Pretty big benefit for those travelling to the game by train and changing at Reading, when demand will be spread out.

You've been against this from the start but I'm not sure why. I get it won't help the majority, or you, but if a couple of hundred choose to travel this way that's a couple of hundred not queuing for buses or in their cars. I'm all for it.

And its purpose lies far beyond Reading FC matches in any case.

[tmesis]

I'm still not conmvinced how useful this will be, except for a relatively small number of people, particularly those going to Basingstoke.

Only the two platforms, both on a main line (as used by Cross Country Trains) so there's no way trains can sit and wait for injury or extra time to finish, and I don't believe there'll be any extra services or carriages laid on by the TOC, so the first train after a match will be absolutley rammed and then it'll be a long wait for those who didn't get onto it.

And island platform with the provision of a shuttle to and from 'Ding would have been useful - this will be much less useful.

Looking at the train times on a Saturday evening, they don't currently look great for anyone wanting to catch a train to Reading after the game - you'd be waiting until at least 5.30, it seems. You'd like to think they'd offer tickets giving you the option of arriving by train and returning by bus (or vice versa) but I doubt it.

[Green]

I'm still not conmvinced how useful this will be, except for a relatively small number of people, particularly those going to Basingstoke.

Only the two platforms, both on a main line (as used by Cross Country Trains) so there's no way trains can sit and wait for injury or extra time to finish, and I don't believe there'll be any extra services or carriages laid on by the TOC, so the first train after a match will be absolutley rammed and then it'll be a long wait for those who didn't get onto it.

And island platform with the provision of a shuttle to and from 'Ding would have been useful - this will be much less useful.

Looking at the train times on a Saturday evening, they don't currently look great for anyone wanting to catch a train to Reading after the game - you'd be waiting until at least 5.30, it seems. You'd like to think they'd offer tickets giving you the option of arriving by train and returning by bus (or vice versa) but I doubt it.

It would suit travelling fans buying a ticket to Reading Stations, if I've understood it right it comes under that zone (possibly I've not, but even then the fare difference would be minimal)

If you're only coming from town then yep not for you.

[Dirk Gently]

I'm still not conmvinced how useful this will be, except for a relatively small number of people, particularly those going to Basingstoke.

Only the two platforms, both on a main line (as used by Cross Country Trains) so there's no way trains can sit and wait for injury or extra time to finish, and I don't believe there'll be any extra services or carriages laid on by the TOC, so the first train after a match will be absolutley rammed and then it'll be a long wait for those who didn't get onto it.

And island platform with the provision of a shuttle to and from 'Ding would have been useful - this will be much less useful.

Pretty big benefit for those travelling to the game by train and changing at Reading, when demand will be spread out.

You've been against this from the start but I'm not sure why. I get it won't help the majority, or you, but if a couple of hundred choose to travel this way that's a couple of hundred not queuing for buses or in their cars. I'm all for it.

And its purpose lies far beyond Reading FC matches in any case.

Absolutely not against it - just trying to set expectations at what the station's been built for. My whole point is exactly that its purpose lies far beyond Reading FC matches

Lots of people seem to be getting excited at the idea that that this is a planned panacea for travel to/from football - wheras in fact it'll help a relatively small number of people. It's been designed entirely for the Green Park homes and offices, and no consideration whatsoever has been given to football travel, as you say.

Yes, people getting to games might find it easier - but at the end of games, when everyone wants to get away at the same time, I can't see it helping more than a couple of carriages worth of people and upsetting many others who throught it might help. (Although the way things are going on the pitch at the moment, a couple of carriages worth of people will soon represent a good attendence...)

[Green]

Yes but at least that's a couple of carriages of people not queuing up for your bus or taking your parking space.

It'll do until the monorail comes.

[Dirk Gently]

Yep.

Except I think that the hype and expectation about this place means that four or five of carriages worth of people will turn up expecting to have all their transport problems solved and then some will end up on the frontpage of GetReading looking angry and pointing at the station sign when they realise the station isn't designed to cater for football traffic.