Crossing the railway

I went to visit the Railway Minister, Mr Burns, yesterday afternoon.

I asked him to do two things for Wokingham.

First, I want him to put the right people at Network Rail into contact with Wokingham Borough Council, so they can start to sort out the issues about a new bridge over the railway to ease traffic congestion in Wokingham Town.

Second I pointed out that many  users of the railway from Woklingham Station need to drive to the trains and therefore need adequate car parking. The present plans for the new station entail reducing the number of parking spaces, which will limit the use people can make of the trains.

The Minister was sympathetic on both grounds and promised to put the Borough in touch with the appropriate people at Network Rail. I will follow up to make sure discussions begin.

2 Comments

  1. frank Salmon
    February 6, 2013

    But it is policy everywhere to reduce car spaces to ‘encourage’ people to use public transport. Car users should walk, or cycle or use a bus instead of benefiting from their self-financed rolling stock. If Burns makes an exception for you, then he should reverse policy and do it for all.
    Also, a bridge that favours car traffic and car emissions will be a bridge too far.

    Sorry John, you won’t get anywhere. But if you do, shout it from the rooftops that there has been a change of government libdem policy and get the changes implemented for all.

    Reply: There has been a change of policy to allow Councils to have more parking spaces if they are needed, and to tackle traffic congestion with more road capacity. The bridge idea is now a line on the Council’s map, the first stage of the project.

  2. Duncan Black
    February 8, 2013

    Mr Redwood – I applaud your clear and concise language.
    DB

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