Demolished sign on traffic island
The demolition of the sign on the traffic island on the junction of Northfield and Swansea Roads has been reported to the council.
How to dispose of your old Christmas tree
Do you have a traditional Christmas tree that will need to be thrown out in January?
Reading Borough Council is providing drop-off points in car parks around the town for disposal of Christmas trees, starting on Monday 2 January. Old trees will be recycled into wood chips for projects around Reading.
The nearest drop-off point to our area will be at the Rivermead car park – look for the drop-off point near the recycling bins. Trees can also be taken to the main recycling centre at Smallmead – don’t forget to take your orange permit.
Further information on recycling in Reading can be found at www.re3.org.uk.
New outdoor activity centre planned at Rivermead
Plans to cut short a 17 year lease with a golf driving range in Reading will make way for clay pigeon shooting, high ropes and archery.
Leaderboard Golf signed the lease with Reading Borough Council early this year (2016) but this has now been ended due to “financial pressures”.
The council decided the arrangement did not represent the best return for the site close to Rivermead Leisure Complex in Richfield Avenue, and will now open an outdoor activity centre alongside a new “demountable” pool.
The centre, which will also include a natural learning zone with den and fire building, adventurous play and an outdoor classroom, will be open to the public throughout the year as well as being available to school groups during term time.
It is anticipated the centre will be open by autumn 2017.
This article originally appeared in Getreading.
Winter Watch – helping tackle fuel poverty
Winter Watch is run by the council and a number of local voluntary and health services to make sure you do not suffer from cold in your home during the winter months.
Winter Watch is available to Reading residents who are on a low income and either over 60, have very young children, have a disability or health concerns.
Winter Watch can help you by:
– Carrying out a home energy check
– Giving advice on your bills and energy provider
– Telling you about grants to help you insulate your home
– Carrying out minor repairs to stop draughts
– Lending you a heater or dehumidifier.
You can apply for Winter Watch help until 31 March by phoning 0118 937 3747.
It’s official – train depot noise is a statutory nuisance
Reading Borough Council has told local residents and Bell Tower it is satisfied that statutory nuisance is taking place at the Cardiff Road Train Care Depot, after a campaign lasting more than three years.
Discussions are underway between the council, Network Rail and Great Western to determine whether the rail companies have evidence to support their defence of Statutory Authority or operation by the best practicable means. The council also says it plans to start monitoring air pollution in Cardiff Road and has obtained permission from the Deaf Centre to install the necessary equipment on their premises.
Bell Tower chairman Jonathan Dart has written to Reading East MP Rob Wilson urging him to bring any pressure he can to bear on Network Rail and Great Western both in parliament and in central government. The letter also pointed out that the deferral of electrification of the Didcot-Oxford line and branches would inevitably mean more diesel units than originally planned being based at Reading depot after the summer 2019 date for the completion of electrification. This means that the railway companies can no longer say the problem of noise and pollution will solve itself through electrification and makes it more imperative for a solution to be found.
In light of what happened with the Green Park station issue, Bell Tower urged Mr Wilson to oppose any plans to add diesel services on any of the lines affected by the deferral of electrification because this would curtail the reduction in the number of diesel units based at Reading. Given the implications for the national rail network of the continued use of diesel traction in the Thames Valley for the foreseeable future, Bell Tower also asked whether there were any plans by the government to introduce new, less noisy and polluting diesel trains to replace the Reading-based turbo trains, while stressing that full electrification would be the option preferred by local residents.
Bell Tower has also written to Great Western to ask what the deferral will mean for the traction mix at the depot in 2019. After the previous deferral involving the Reading-Basingstoke line, they said 51 diesel units would remain at Reading (54 if there were extra trains to serve Green Park station) as opposed to the 45 originally envisaged. At the time of writing Bell Tower had not received an answer from Mr Wilson or Great Western.
Carol singing – Tuesday 20 December
New Hope’s community carol singing will be on Tuesday 20 December. Come along to the New Hope Centre at 7.00pm for a tour round the area, with refreshments afterwards. All welcome.