Micro P+R

To follow up on my blog this morning here is the official announcement that the planned Micro P+R in Palmer Park and Clayfield Copse has been withdrawn.

Also in the announcement is some good news about far more sensible plans of traffic improvements so it seems like we got 2 for the price of 1.

Unless you have xray sight you will have to click on the text to make it easily readable. I am sorry its not more ledigible, but it has been a very long day.

It is great that the Council has been willing to listen to the reasoned points put to it and I would like to thank Cllr Tony Page for being willing to listen to us.

No Micro Park and Ride

I am pleased to be able to tell you that RBC has abandoned its attempts to introduce a Micro Park and Ride at Palmer Park and Clayfield Copse in Caversham.

The first signs that the Council was prepared to drop the plan started coming last week, however life is never certain and it was not until it was confirmed could we relax.

Well done everyone who campaigned. I will post more details when I have had time to read the Council papers from yesterdays full Council meeting.

Lobbying on Palmer Park

Quick update, I have been lobbying members of the RBC cabinet and councillors to try and help them understand East Reading residents' concerns about the "Micro" Park and Ride in Palmer Park.

While talking to Councillors I tried to point out the difficulties with the plan. They listened and promised to go away and think about the issue. I hope for a reaction soon.

Sometimes you have to disagree......

Sometimes you have to say that something is wrong.

In this case it appears that the council is planning to consult on whether the car park at Palmer Park can be used as a micro Park and Ride for about 200 cars. According to the newspaper result in this weeks Reading Chronicle there will be a special fare which includes parking and bus fare of £4.

As this is a consultation I have already written to the Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Transport to register my objections. I have been lobbying the Council all weekend to try and get Councillors to understand the depth of feelings of local residents.I urge all Park residents to object as well.

The bones of my objection are as follows:

1. Any plan which will need extra development in Palmer Park reduces the potential amount of green space in the area. I have consistently opposed encroachments to the open space, from fighting the Green Road development to working to protect the Alfred Sutton Field, to planting extra trees in the park.

2. In discussing it with friends it seems very difficult for RBC to differentiate local parking for local families who use the park on Saturdays in relation to a Park and Ride

3. The development of a P+R in the park will significantly increase the traffic in St Barts Rd and The Woky Rd while I suspect not having a significant affect on the traffic at the Junc.

4. The car park access road will effectively become a main road. This turns a basic access road in to something much more significant. This will create a serious road safety issue next to a childrens' play ground

5. Why should visitors pay £4 to park, when they can park at the top of the Woky road for nothing, in either Wokingham or Reading borough and get the bus for £1.70

So when the consultation comes out please feel free to object, I will.....

Mela, Hot, Hot, Hot

Had a fantastic weekend. Spent yesterday talking to residents on the door and spent today at the Mela.

We had a very subtle stand, as you can see and it was nice to be able to talk politics with East Reading's asian community. Although it was very very hot. I had to ask my daughter to bring over my hat as I was getting sun burnt.

This picture shows Jon and I with a College Road resident. This was obviously before the sun burn kicked in.

Saw some of Park's other Councillors, it was interesting to see that Park's Tory popped in especially as we have not seen much of him over the last 3 years.

One of the great things about an open air event is that everybody wants to talk about what really bothers them. Sometimes this can be tricky political questions and sometimes this can be where's the nearest loo. Happily we were able to help in both cases.


So I am checking out the lists of issues we have been given to follow up and am going to have to do something about my face, which is in need of somekind of cooling liquid. Will report on the issues and follow ups soon.

East Reading Festival and Sun Burn

I wish I had a hat....just spent a very very warm afternoon, campaigning on behalf of public sector workers at the East Reading festival..very enjoyable.

We were also asking residents to sign a petition on HMO's it was great to talk to residents about their concerns and work with all the Labour volunteers to make sure we spoke to as many people as possible.

The picture show me with Labour activists at the festival.

We have a big programme of campaigns ahead so you will see us out and about. Come and say hello, we might even give you a badge.

We also met up with the organisers of the Freegle group and promised to put a link to their site so here it is.