Reading Green Park railway station explained

Reading Green Park
Symbol Location:gb
Symbol:rail
Borough:Reading, Berkshire
Country:England
Owned:Network Rail
Manager:Great Western Railway
Grid Name:Grid reference
Coordinates:51.4267°N -1.0014°W
Map Type:United Kingdom Reading
Platforms:2
Years:Spring 2019
Events:Construction began
Years1:27 May 2023
Events1:Opened
Code:RGP

Reading Green Park railway station is a railway station in Green Park, Berkshire, England. The station serves the Green Park business area and the Madejski Stadium, as well as the Green Park Village residential development. It is on the Reading to Basingstoke Line, south of Southcote Junction. The station opened later than planned on 27 May 2023, due to construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Green Park Village, the Madejski Stadium and most of the Green Park business area all within the borough of Reading, as is the station car park, bus and taxi interchange, and only access road. However the station building and platforms are within the civil parish of Burghfield in the West Berkshire unitary authority. There is no access to the station from the Burghfield side of the line.[1]

History

Initial proposals

Plans were announced in July 2007 and approved by the Office of Rail Regulation in March 2009. Building was originally expected to begin in early 2009, and be completed in early 2010. However, by late November 2010 building had not begun. Submissions were made to extend the planning permission for the station, which were due to expire in late 2010 and early 2011.[2] [3] [4] [5]

It was reported that the extended applications for planning consent contain a clause which, if approved, would ensure the developer of Green Park Village pays a premium of £4.26million to find an alternative developer for the station if work has not begun on it within two years.[6]

In October 2011, the owners of the business park, Prupim, announced that plans for the station had been suspended after a local housing development project had been scaled down.[7]

Resubmitted proposals

In December 2013, Reading Borough Council stated that it would re-submit planning proposals for the station in 2014.[8] It was reported in July 2014, that a £17million Government investment in road and rail projects in Berkshire will include a sum for the station, enabling building work to start in 201516.[9] In November 2014, the total investment was cited as £21.4million, and that the station would cost £6. million.[10] In March 2015, this cost was revised to £8million in planning submissions to Reading Borough Council. The first £6.4million would be met by the local enterprise partnership and the remaining £1.6million covered by Reading Borough Council.[11] In April 2015 the council's planning committee renewed planning permission for the station.[12] The station's funding was announced by the Government in 2017.[13]

The station was planned to open in 2018, which should have coincided with electrification of the Reading – Basingstoke Line and introduction of new or refurbished trains.[14] However, the electrification of the line was then put back until after 2019,[15] and by December 2022 has not been commenced. The proposed service was discussed at a meeting of Reading Borough Council's strategic environment, planning and transport committee in November 2015. Concern was expressed that delay to the electrification of the railway line between Southcote Junction and Basingstoke could adversely affect the proposed train service.[16]

The station was planned to be built in four phases, with its facilities expanding as the business park and residential development are built. Each phase was built only when there is the required funding or demand:

In July 2016, the Berkshire Local Transport Body (BLTB) awarded an additional £3million to the initial £6.4million contract for Green Park Station after a review concluded "a significant increase in the forecast passenger demand for the station in comparison to the calculations undertaken in 2013". The additional funding would be for additional shelters and improved ticketing facilities.[17] The Department for Transport confirmed in July 2017 that Reading Green Park station would receive £2.3million from the New Stations Fund towards a total project cost of £16.5million.[18]

Construction

Construction started on the station in the spring of 2019.[19] The station was originally due for opening in May 2020,[20] then brought forward to Summer 2019,[21] then set to open by the end of 2020,[22] before being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.[23] In October 2020, it was reported to be due to open in the late summer of 2021 "at the earliest".[24] In June 2021, Network Rail announced that the opening had been put back until April to June 2022.[25]

By 8 August 2021, work on the station buildings and platforms were largely complete, and the new station bridge had been lifted into place. Following the completion of the building works, a four- to six-month commissioning period was expected to follow, in order for the station to receive authorisation to be entered into service. The total cost was stated to be £20.077million.[26] [19]

The station opened on 27 May 2023.[27]

Facilities

The station has two 150adj=midNaNadj=mid canopied platforms which can accommodate up to six-car trains,[28] which are connected by a 15adj=midNaNadj=mid bridge, with lifts and stairs. The station has an interchange with the existing Green Park Park and Ride bus system, together with a taxi rank, surface level car park and cycle parking.

Services

All services at Reading Green Park are operated by Great Western Railway using and DMUs.

The typical off-peak service is two trains per hour in each direction between and . On Sundays, the service is reduced to hourly in each direction.[11]

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Election Maps . . 2023-05-27.
  2. Web site: Reading Green Park Station, Berkshire . . 26 November 2010 . dead . http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101111092603/http%3A//www.rail%2Dreg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/ld%2DReading_GPk_decdoc.pdf . 11 November 2010 . dmy-all .
  3. Web site: GreenParkVillage – Railway station . GreenParkVillage . 26 November 2010 . 18 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101118070623/http://www.greenparkvillage.co.uk/station.html . dead .
  4. Web site: Planning application details – 10/01905/FUL . Reading Borough Council . 26 November 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110824142004/http://planning.reading.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=LA4A8YMS03O00 . 24 August 2011 .
  5. Web site: Planning documents – Case Number: 10/02603/XCOMIN . West Berkshire Council . 26 November 2010 . 22 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160122190627/http://planning.westberks.gov.uk/rpp/index.asp?caseref=10%2F02603%2FXCOMIN . live .
  6. News: Planners talk Green Park railway . . . 13 October 2010 . 26 November 2010 . 27 October 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101027040951/http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2080208_planners_talk_green_park_railway_ . live .
  7. News: Millward . David . Green Park station plan hits the buffers . 27 October 2011 . Reading Post . Trinity Mirror . 27 October 2011 . 4 April 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120404042441/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2102282_green_park_station_plan_hits_the_buffers . live .
  8. News: New railway station plan for Reading's Madjeski Stadium . . 3 December 2013 .
  9. News: Millward . David . Plans for Green Park railway station on track following £17 million cash injection . 10 July 2014 . Reading Post . Trinity Mirror . 9 July 2014 . 5 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140805082011/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/business/plans-green-park-railway-station-7393742 . live .
  10. News: Green Park train station funding approved for Reading . News . BBC . 20 November 2014 .
  11. News: Green Park train station plans submitted . Vashisht . Rahul . Reading Post . Trinity Mirror . 20 March 2015 . 20 March 2015 . 22 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150322054755/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/green-park-train-station-plans-8865748 . live .
  12. News: Green Park railway station approved for Reading . News . BBC . 30 April 2015 . 30 April 2015 . 3 May 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150503005713/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-32516373 . live .
  13. Web site: New Stations Fund . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200106063954/https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/station-improvements/new-stations-fund/ . 6 January 2020 . 20 November 2019 . Network Rail.
  14. News: Green Park Station: expired plan to be looked at again . Fort . Linda . Reading Post . Trinity Mirror . 29 April 2015 . 29 April 2015 . 30 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150730041158/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/green-park-station-expired-plan-9139923 . live .
  15. News: Green Park station blow as electrification delayed until after 2019 . Macdonald-Read . Neil . 26 November 2015 . 19 July 2016 . 22 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160722095747/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/green-park-station-blow-electrification-10504284 . live .
  16. Reading Chronicle, 26 November 2015, page 19
  17. News: Reading Green Park railway station cost increases by £3m . . 22 July 2016 . 22 July 2016 . 27 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160727053433/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-36857446 . live .
  18. News: New station boost for passengers thanks to £16 million government investment . . 28 July 2017 . 29 July 2017 . 28 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170728150847/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-station-boost-for-passengers-thanks-to-16-million-government-investment . live .
  19. Web site: Green Park Station Takes Shape . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220405100204/https://media.reading.gov.uk/news/green-park-station-takes-shape . 5 April 2022 . 5 April 2022 . Reading Borough Council.
  20. News: Green Park Station plans given green light by government . News . GetReading . 28 July 2017 . 19 October 2017 . 19 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171019220111/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/green-park-station-plans-given-13398939 . live .
  21. Web site: Aldridge . James . Green Park Station in Reading to open one year ahead of schedule . InYourArea . 22 July 2018 . 23 March 2018 . 10 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180710195032/https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/green-park-station-arriving-one-year-ahead-of-schedule/ . live .
  22. Web site: New Reading station Green Park opens in 2020 - final details confirmed . The Reading Chronicle . Tevye . Markson . 24 October 2019 . 20 November 2019 . 28 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191028201703/https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/17990773.green-park-station-still-due-open-late-2020-plans-finalised/ . live .
  23. Web site: Food waste bin collection and Green Park station delayed . The Reading Chronicle . 23 April 2020 . 28 May 2020 . 30 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200430041033/https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/18401338.food-waste-bin-collection-green-park-station-among-plans-delayed-coronavirus/ . live .
  24. Web site: Reading: Green Park Station delayed until 2021 – this is when it could open. The Reading Chronicle. Tevye. Markson. 14 October 2020. 26 November 2020. 28 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201028201903/https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/18793578.reading-green-park-station-delayed-2021---open/. live.
  25. Web site: Opening of Reading's Green Park station faces further delays. Berkshire Live. Tevye. Markson. 25 June 2021. 27 June 2021.
  26. News: Breath-taking aerial footage shows entirety of new Reading Green Park Station . Network Rail . 10 November 2022 .
  27. News: 2023-05-25 . Reading's new Green Park Station welcomes first passengers . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-05-27.
  28. Web site: Fletcher . Steve . THE RAILWAYS (INTEROPERABILITY) REGULATIONS 2011, AS AMENDED READING GREEN PARK STATION . ORR . 30 May 2023.

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