Proposed Pedestrian Subway for the new Reading Station

Update for CADRA members from Pat Baxter, Head of Transport, November 2010.

This note provides information on the pedestrian subway upgrade which forms part of the Reading Station scheme.

At a recent meeting a representative from Network Rail updated CADRA members on the Reading Station Capacity and Performance upgrade scheme. That update was limited to information on the rail scheme itself and although references were made to interchanges and other facilities, which will be provided through the borough council and developers, that information was not complete.

The Reading Station scheme is very complex; it is the largest single rail scheme in the country. To ensure that all aspects are delivered in a co-ordinated way those with key responsibilities sit on the project delivery group the delivery partners are: - Network Rail, Department for Transport, First Great Western and Reading Borough Council (RBC).

Through that delivery group RBC are co-ordinating proposed developments around the station and ensuring that there is a proper interface with the local public realm. Part of that responsibility has included achieving a non-fare paying route across the railway lines and a number of options to do this have been pursued. They were:-

• Retain the existing footbridge – Not possible as new tracks will be located where there are current bridge supports and the current escalators will be removed to provide circulatory space between the existing platform 4A, 4B and new platform 4C and the rest of the revised station.

• A section of the new Transfer Bridge is non fare paying – The new transfer bridge will have platform access on both sides and no area of the bridge could be identified/sectioned off for non-fare paying passengers.
• A separate footbridge for non-fare paying passengers – this would have been very costly and involve significant height differences creating capacity problems with lifts, stairs and escalators on both sides of the revised station.

• Upgraded Subway – Could provide a short, straight and level route across the railway lines if improved to a standard acceptable to the public.

As part of the main rail scheme the current footbridge from the car park will be removed. This is part of the station upgrade (Network Rail), new tracks and platforms to the north make retaining the footbridge impossible, and the new transfer bridge is fare paying passengers only. However the subway, which will become the non-fare paying route, will not remain as it is but will be upgraded to provide an excellent single level (access at ground level rather than steps, lifts or escalators) pedestrian route underneath/across the railway lines.

The Car Park access to the station will change as part of the main rail scheme and access will be from the car park at ground level via the new northern entrance and interchange.

One of the key elements Reading Borough Council  have been trying to achieve as part of the station upgrade is a level pedestrian crossing of the railway lines between Caversham and Vastern Road bridges. A totally refurbished subway with direct access to the new public squares on either side of the new station entrances will provide this.

What is now included in the main rail scheme is a total refurbishment of the subway and opening it up to its full width, nearly twice its current width. The subway will be open at either end (the north side is already at ground level and the south side will be at the lowered interchange ground level) creating natural light through it, as well as very high standard lighting within the subway, it will be straight with no areas where people could loiter and it will be maintained to a very high standard.

Mr Nicholson’s presentation to CADRA on the 2nd November was very much focused on the railway elements of this very major project, whereas Reading Borough Council has been supporting both the national rail scheme and seeking then progressing opportunities to improve access to and through the station for Reading constituents both rail and non-rail users.

Drawings of the new areas to the north and south of the station and the subway link between them will be available early in the new year and RBC representatives will be invited to the next CADRA meeting to present these and clarify any issues remaining on the quality and functionality of the refurbished subway and other RBC areas of the project.