 Rail bosses urged to rethink office closures
We’ve raised concerns over plans to close railway station ticket offices and reduce staffing hours before a consultation ended last Friday (1 September).
We’ve warned the Rail Delivery Group, which represents Britain’s train operators, that this could cause problems – especially for groups like older people and those with disabilities or mobility issues.
The group says fewer people use ticket offices because of technological advances, so it would be better for staff to help in other ways like on the platform.
But after listening to people’s views, we say this could leave some at an unfair disadvantage and goes against our goal of promoting public transport to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions.
The proposals affect Crowthorne, Earley, Reading, Twyford, Winnersh, Winnersh Triangle and Wokingham stations. Wargrave station, also located in the borough, is already unstaffed.
 Regeneration brings a taste of sunny Spain
We're delighted to say ¡Hola! to Salty Olive, an independent Spanish pinchos bar and restaurant at Elms Walk in the heart of Wokingham town.
Elms Walk is part of the new Elms Field development, which was built under our multi-million pound town centre regeneration project.
This also included the revamp of Peach Place and the opening of a new leisure centre, library, car park and other facilities at Carnival Hub, formerly the Carnival Pool site, off Wellington Road.
Susannah Stewart, owner of Salty Olive, has been visiting Spain for over 40 years and is a fan of its informal, social approach to dining. It's been her dream to bring this home so she was thrilled to open her business in May.
She said: “I’ve been lucky enough to visit the Costa Brava in northern Spain since I was a child - it’s an area very close to my heart. I’m very proud and excited to bring a taste of pinchos to Wokingham.”
 New airport and hospital bus routes take off
Park and ride travel has received a boost with the launch of new services to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading and Heathrow Airport.
The Reading Buses 300 now serves the hospital from Thames Valley Park and Ride, off the A3290 roundabout, while the RailAir coach from Reading to Heathrow now also stops at Thames Valley Park and Ride in both directions.
The 300, which the hospital funds, was a staff shuttle but is now open to the community. A similar route runs from Mereoak Park and Ride, near Three Mile Cross, into Reading via the University of Reading's Whiteknights campus.
The RailAir coach from Thames Valley runs every 30 minutes for almost 23 hours a day and must be booked in advance. These services offer an alternative to driving so please consider using them to save money and reduce pollution.
Meanwhile, we’re in talks with the Department for Transport about the best ways to invest the £400,000 they’ve awarded us to improve local bus services. We hope to announce more on this soon.
 Plans for shops and more revised after feedback
Developer Crest Nicholson have revised their detailed planning application for a district centre off Nine Mile Ride Extension in Arborfield with shops, a community centre and other amenities.
They submitted it in April and made changes after going through your comments and discussing the scheme with our planning officers, as well as seeking independent guidance from Design South East's Review Panel.
The changes include a play area on the proposed village green to the north of the site, improved landscaping to link the food store with other shop units and a "gateway" entrance to the pedestrianised shopping area.
Changes are also proposed to elevations and height of some buildings, particularly along Nine Mile Ride Extension, the central road and new shopping area.
Full details of the new district centre plans can be found in our latest Arborfield Community News update. Revised plans for new sports facilities on nearby land are also expected soon.
 Looking after your roads all year round
As part of our commitment to keeping our roads in good condition, we have an ongoing maintenance programme which includes asphalt preservation works.
This cost-effective treatment protects the road surface, preventing wear and damage and saving on repair costs in the long run.
We've fallen a bit behind in recent weeks because of the unusually heavy rain, but we're working hard to get back on track.
You can keep up to speed with where we are on our Traffic and Traffic Facebook page or read the full schedule on our website.
Stay in touch with us
Our Wokingham Borough Connect newsletters cover a range of topics including rubbish and recycling, traffic and travel, our countryside sites, what's on and much more - as well as our twice-weekly Residents' Round-up.
Have a look at what's on offer and sign up by pressing the button below.
|
