The council is now looking at consulting the people of Reading for new ideas on improving air quality and traffic

By Hugh Fort

The East Reading MRT plan is no more. Credit: Reading Borough Council

A controversial plan for a bridge for cyclists, pedestrians and buses over the River Kennet has been scrapped.

And Reading Borough Council is set to ask the people of the town for their views on how to solve the growing issues of congestion and air quality.

The council has confirmed Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership has officially pulled the £19 million it had earmarked for the East Reading Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) scheme.

This means the council can no longer go ahead with the plan and is looking for new ideas.

The planning application for the bridge was approved by Reading council but was twice rejected by Wokingham Borough Council.

Councillors in Reading's neighbouring borough were concerned about its impact on the environment and its viability of it as a mass rapid transit scheme.

Instead of pressing ahead with the plan, Reading council will soon begin a "wide ranging public engagement exercise" with the aim of shaping a new Local Transport Plan.

The council has repeatedly stressed that with the growth Reading, Berkshire, is likely to have in the next few years, doing nothing is not an option.

“Whilst the East Reading MRT application has been withdrawn, the challenges that it sought to address remain the same and will not go away or reduce"

Councillor Tony Page, Reading council’s lead member for strategic environment, planning and transport, said: “In light of Wokingham’s second refusal and the removal of LEP funding for the scheme, the council has decided to officially withdraw its planning application for the new pedestrian, cycle and public transport link in East Reading.

“A great deal has been said about the East Reading MRT proposal, some of it based on genuine concern about the riverside setting of the new route, and some of it based on confusion around the benefits of the scheme.

"The fact remains, however, that the significant levels of growth Reading will inevitably absorb in the future means we need to find sustainable transport solutions which offer realistic alternatives to the private car.

“So we will now move on, look forward and engage with people on how these serious issues can be tackled in the future."

The council's focus now moves on to traffic congestion and air quality.

The authority intends to engage with people living the town, its neighbouring councils, businesses and other stakeholders on options for future traffic projects.

The responses will then lead to a new draft Local Transport Plan, which will be consulted upon later this year.

"We want to hear ideas for transport solutions to help manage levels of congestion and air quality and to mitigate the thousands of new homes"

Councillor Page added the challenges the town faces will not "go away or reduce" and urged as many people as possibly to take, stressing "there are no red lines".

He said: “Whilst the East Reading MRT application has been withdrawn, the challenges that it sought to address remain exactly the same and will not go away or reduce.

“By launching this public consultation, we want to hear from residents, businesses and visitors about their ideas for transport solutions to help manage levels of congestion and air quality and to mitigate the many thousands of new homes which will be built in the area over the coming years.

"Ideas will then feed into a new transport plan for Reading, which will similarly be consulted on later in the year. I would encourage as many residents, businesses and other stakeholders as possible to look out for details nearer the time.

“And whilst this consultation is about the whole of Reading, I will also be extending direct invitations to engage in this important process with opponents of the East Reading MRT scheme.

"I hope they will agree to meet with me personally for a constructive and open discussion on options to provide sustainable transport solutions for East Reading, including the alternatives that were investigated at the East Reading MRT planning stages.

"There will be no ‘red lines’, only an open invitation to engage and help protect Reading’s future environment.”