On your marks for the Reading Half 2024
THE STREETS of Reading will soon be full of Sunday morning traffic, but not from cars: it will be runners taking part in the Reading Half Marathon.
The annual event will return on April 14, and see thousands of runners take part, ranging from elite athletes to those in fancy dress.
There are two events: the traditional 13.1-mile course, which culminates in a sprint finish at the Select Car Leasing Stadium-home of the Royals.
The Green Park Challenge allows all ages to take part.
The runners will depart from Green Park at 10.15am, then go on a route around the town, taking in Whitley, the university campus, the town centre, Prospect Park and then down the A33 towards the finish line in the football stadium.
Residents are being warned not be caught out by the rolling road closures which will affect the route on the day and to allow extra time for any journeys.
Roads can be closed at any point between 7am and 4pm and diversion routes will be in effect. Closures will be lifted as soon as all runners have passed through and when it is safe to do so. All roads are expected to re-open by 4pm.
On race day itself, there will be around 700 volunteers staffing the route without whom the race could not happen.
The Reading Half Marathon 2024 is hosted by Goldline Events.
Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Reading Borough Council’s lead councillor for culture and leisure, said: “The Reading Half is always a fantastic day in the calendar which allows us to show off everything our wonderful town has to offer to the many thousands of runners and other visitors who descend here.
“I’m sure that, as is usually the case, many hundreds of residents will again be lining the streets, cheering on the pack of runners and creating a special atmosphere which plays such a big role in helping participants reach the finish line, no matter how exhausted they may be.”
She added: “We want everyone to enjoy their Sunday however and, as usual, we would advise residents to plan ahead and familiarise themselves with the list of rolling road closures which will be in operation throughout the day.
“There will again be a residents’ helpline available on the day.”
■ Full details of all routes and roads affected are at www. reading.gov.uk/halfmarathon, www.readinghalfmarathon.com or call the residents’ helpline on 0118 937 2771.
ROAD CLOSURES
The following roads can be closed at any point between 7am and 3pm, but as a guideline the closures will go on at the times stated below and will be removed as soon as it is safe to do so.
Diversion routes will be in effect and people are encouraged to allow extra time for journeys.
A33 (southbound) 9.45am
11.30am entire Bennet Rd gyratory system
Bennet Road 9.50am-3pm entire length Basingstoke Road 9.50am-11.25am between Imperial Way & Callington Road
Island Road 9.30am-2.35pm entire length Hartland Road 9.30am-11.40am entire
length
Whitley Wood Road 9.30am-noon between Hartland Road & Shinfield Road
Shinfield Road 9.30am-12.30pm between Whitley Wood Road & Christchurch Road
Pepper Lane
length 9.30am-12.30pm entire
Christchurch Road
entire length
Kendrick Road 8.30am-1pm entire length London Road 9.45am-12.40pm between
Sidmouth Street & Crown Street London Street 9am-12.40pm entire length Mill Lane (north & southbound)
7am-12.40pm entire length
Duke Street 9.30am-12.40pm entire
length
Thorn Lane 9.30am-12.40pm entire
length
Yield Hall Place
length
Minster Street
length
Gun Street 9.30am-12.40pm entire length King Street 9.30am-12.40pm entire length King’s Road 9.30am-12.40pm between
Abbey Street and King Street
High Street 9.30am-12.40pm open for exit
onto Kings Road
Abbey Square 9.30am-12.45pm entire
length
Abbey Street
length
Abbots Walk
length
The Forbury
length
Butter Market 9.30am-12.30pm 9.30am-12.40pm entire 9.30am-12.40pm entire 9.30am-12.45pm entire 9.30am-12.45pm entire 9.30am-12.45pm entire 9.30am-12.45pm entire
length
Market Place
length
Valpy Street
length
Blagrave Street 9.30am-12.45pm between
Valpy Street and Friar Street
Friar Street 9am-12.50pm between
Blagrave Street and West Street Station Road 9.30am-12.50pm entire
length
West Street 9am-12.50pm entire length Oxford Road 9.30am-1.05pm between West Street and Bedford Road (restricted access from 9am)
Russell Street 9.30am-1pm entire length Tilehurst Road 9.30am-1.15pm between
Russell Street and Liebenrood Road Liebenrood Road 9.30am-2pm entire
length
Bath Road 9am-1.50pm between Circuit
Lane and Coley Avenue
Castle Hill 9am-1.50pm entire length Coley Avenue 9.30am-1.40pm between
Bath Road and Berkeley Avenue 9.30am-12.45pm entire 9.30am-12.45pm entire
Berkeley Avenue 9.30am-1.55pm between
Elgar Road and Shaw Road
Rose Kiln Lane (northbound) 9.30am1.55pm between Berkeley Avenue and junction with A33
A33 (northbound) 9.30am-3pm between
Bennet Road and IDR
Lindisfarne Way 9.45am-11.30am
westbound-no access to A33 Longwater Avenue 6am-3pm entire length Brook Drive 6am-3pm entire length Northern Way 6am-4pm entire length Hoops Way 6am-4pm entire length Shooters Way 6am-4pm entire length
Main arterial routes in the town centre stay open
North: A4074 Woodcote Rd to A4155 to
IDR and A4155 Henley Rd to IDR.
East: J10-A329 Wokingham Rd-London
Rd-Sidmouth St-Queen’s Rd-IDR. West: J12-Bath Rd-Honey End LaneTilehurst Rd-Water Rd & Grovelands Rd-Oxford Rd-Chatham St-IDR.
Access from the South will be restricted as runners get underway. Visitors travelling into Reading on the M4 are advised to use junctions 10 and 12 until 2pm to avoid delays.
Access to Hospitals
Royal Berkshire Hospital:
London Road;
Berkshire Independent Hospital: access
from Bath Rd/Berkeley Avenue; Dunedin Hospital: access from IDR-Castle Hill-Bath Rd access lane (allow for delay).
Circle Hospital: access via Basingstoke Rd
and Manor Farm Road.
Car parks
Town Centre car parks open as normal, apart from Oracle Riverside, which will open at 12.40pm-use Oracle Holy Brook.
Re3 recycling
Access from
The Household Waste Recycling Centre and access to Link Retail Park will open around 2.30pm