Cycle ban in subway to be removed
RESIDENTS are in favour of allowing cyclists to use a crucial route through central Reading.
Reading Borough Council held a public consultation on proposals to allow cyclists to use the underpass at Reading Station.
The results show that 73% were in favour of removing the ban – nearly one in four of the 554 responses.
Now councillors will consider the proposal to remove the ban at a traffic management sub-committee on Thursday, March 2.
The underpass was opened in 2013, though cyclists were banned from using the route connecting Christchurch Bridge and Vastern Road because of a low ceiling not meeting height and width clearance guidelines.
The council has since inherited the maintenance of the route from Network Rail following the completion of the Reading Station redevelopment.
The council has now earmarked more than £200,000 of funding to remove the low suspended ceiling tiles and to protect service ducts above them.
Refurbishment works are due to take place in the spring, when maintenance and improvements to signs will also be carried out.
Cllr Tony Page, Reading Borough Council’s Lead for Climate Strategy and Transport, said: “It is no surprise to see high numbers of people responding to this consultation and I would like to thank everybody that took the time to respond.
“The results clearly show substantial support for revoking a cycling ban which is historic and, in reality, has always been an anomaly.
"Although technically illegal, regular users will know that cyclists already use this subway on a daily basis."
He explained that the underpass was a "key strategic route from Christchurch Bridge and Caversham into the Town Centre.
"We now have the approved Station Hill redevelopment which has been designed specifically to secure a continuous north-south cycle route through the town centre and beyond to Christchurch Bridge.
“It will now fall to Councillors to consider all responses and to decide whether to push ahead with the change after carefully considering all feedback received.”