Temporary Weekend Vastern Road Closures as Northern Interchange Progresses

News Article

29/01/2013

Motorists are being given advance warning of up and coming temporary weekend closures of Vastern Road in one direction, as work to complete the new northern interchange at Reading Station gathers pace.

Vastern Road will be closed off to through traffic in a westbound direction (on the station car park / TGI side of the road) from 7pm on Friday February 15 through to the evening of Sunday February 17 when it re-opens. Similar weekend closures, over the same time periods, will then follow on weekends beginning Friday February 22nd, Friday March 1st and Friday March 8.

The temporary closures are necessary to resurface the Westbound carriageway which is not wide enough for the work to be completed safely whilst keeping one lane open, as was the case on the Eastbound side of Vastern Road. Significant drainage work also needs to be undertaken.

Notices giving advance warning of the temporary closures are going up from this weekend on all major approaches to Vastern Road. It is expected that the vast majority of motorists affected will be coming from Castle Hill, Chatham Street, London Road, Southampton Street and the A33. They will be directed clockwise around the IDR towards Caversham Rd.

Other motorists who find themselves approaching the eastern end of Vastern Road will be directed over Reading Bridge and back across the Thames at Caversham Bridge, to continue their journeys.

The bus route affected will be Reading Buses 22, 24, & 18 (Sat only), Arriva 800, and Thames Travel X39 and 40. Local diversions will be in place to reroute these services.

Access to the car park on the northern side of Reading Station will be maintained at all times, as will access to the Vastern Court Retail park.

Reading Borough Council's £13.2 million project to create two new interchanges runs alongside Network Rail's own £850 million rebuilding programme of the station and the rail lines around Reading, which is fast taking shape.

The northern interchange will complement one on the southern side and will come complete with bus, taxi and cycle facilities, as well as a pick-up and drop-off point for drivers. It will provide a modern and spacious new gateway for rail passengers who access the station from Vastern Road and will replace the current inadequate northern access, via the existing multi story car park. It is due to be completed in the Summer of 2013.

Before that the new Reading Station subway  which will link the northern side of the station to the southern entrance and provide a new route straight into the Town Centre from Vastern Road - is due to open for public use on February 28.