A new subway has opened at Reading train station on the same day the section of the passenger bridge which links the station to the multi-storey car park will close for good.
The much-improved new pedestrian route from Vastern Road direct into the town centre will connect residents living north of the station.
The current passenger bridge will close permanently, to allow new platforms underneath it to be completed. For four weeks people will be able to use a temporary walking route via the new subway. Those using the temporary route should allow up to an additional 15 minutes to get to their trains.
The subway, which will be maintained by Council, has a new lighting and digital CCTV system linked to the station and police.
April 1, 2013 | editor
Reading Borough Council are proposing changes for the town’s 13 Children’s Centres including better access to advice and help for families with children and young people up to 19-years old, and a more consistent offer of services across the town.
While many local authorities nationwide are choosing to shut down Children’s Centres due to the on-going difficult economic conditions, Reading Borough Council is keeping all 13 of its centres open in recognition of the vital role they play in providing easy access to key services for families, all within easy travelling distance of their homes. This is particularly important in Reading where there has been a 34% increase in children aged 0-4 years old over the last census period, which is the second highest rise in the south-east.
The way the town’s 13 Children’s Centres are currently organised means what is on offer can vary from area to area. The Council wants to ensure activities and services at each centre are based both on local need, and that they are also consistent, so that some key services are offered at centres across all the whole of Reading.
A Council review has looked closely at best practise and at what other local Councils are doing. As a result, proposals have now been developed where Children’s Centres are brought together into geographical clusters – north, south, east and west and west/central. Each cluster would then share a pooled and flexible staff team, managed by a single-coordinator. This means staff could share expertise of what works best for local Children’s Centres, and also allows for a more flexible and efficient use of staff.
March 30, 2013 | editor
Reading’s Museum of English Rural Life will be awarded £275,000 and work with Reading Museum on a new programme for 2014/15, including a series of Reading in Conflict events commemorating the First World War Centenary in 2014.
The museum which is owned and managed by the University of Reading, has received the award as part of a funding package worth more than £375,000 made to museums in the region by Arts Council England’s Renaissance Strategic Support Fund.
The Renaissance funding will enable both museums to share skills and collections to create a programme which reaches out to and engages with local communities.
The project will also benefit the local community by addressing issues of employability, through incorporating a programme of ‘fair access’ internship and work experience. It will also provide opportunities for those normally excluded from volunteering, due to financial reasons, to acquire skills and experience enhancing their ability to secure employment or gain access to further training or education.
March 30, 2013 | editor
The Retreat on St John’s Street, has now been placed on the town’s register of community assets, following representations made by a local CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) branch.
The Retreat is located in Reading’s oldest Conservation Area. Among the reasons made by the CAMRA branch in its application to list the pub are that it plays an important part in the town’s music and arts scene, with a regular and wide range of concerts, and the fact that Reading artists use the walls of the back bar to host regular exhibitions and installations. The pub has also regularly hosted the Reading Experimental Film Festival as part of the Whitley Arts Festival.
CAMRA also pointed towards the pub’s role as a important location for charity and community events. These include a Burns Night supper, an annual summer street party to celebrate St John’s Day and annual competitions for the best mince pie and pickled onion, which the family of actress Kate Winslet take part in every year.
A current list of Reading’s assets of community value is listed here: http://www.reading.gov.uk/council/list-assets-community-value/
March 27, 2013 | editor
Reading Borough Council’s Sustainable Travel Challenge Fund has awarded grants to forganisations to run projects aimed at helping local people choose sustainable ways to travel around town.
The groups are Reward Your World, CTC, Intelligent Health, Reading Cycle Campaign and ReadiBus. They were selected from charities, businesses, voluntary groups and residents who applied for a grant.
All the initiatives will encourage more walking, cycling and public transport use while making sustainable travel more accessible, acceptable and rewarding.
The Fund may award up to £176,000 in 2013, increased from £150,000 to enable full rather than partial funding to be awarded to certain projects.
Total grants for the organisations are:
Reward your World £50k
CTC £24k
Intelligent Health £49,700
Reading cycle Campaign £2k
Readibus £50k
March 27, 2013 | editor
