‘Crossing good for you too’

READING Borough Council says residents of South Oxfordshire would benefit from a new crossing.

Tony Page, lead member for transport, said: “Heavy traffic and poor air quality in both Caversham and Reading town centre have existed for many years and not gone away. Those are the exact issues we are seeking to address.

“While I respect the right of any local body to their point of view, the fact is many thousands of South Oxfordshire residents choose to drive through Reading.

“It can be convenient to ignore that fact when opinions are aired. The health of residents in Reading continues to be blighted by congestion and poor air quality and it is a position no responsible local authority should ignore.

“It is also worth noting Oxfordshire County Council is happily proposing new park and ride sites as part of its own transport strategy for Oxford.

“It is essential we work with the county and district councils to protect local communities from any potential impacts by appropriate traffic management measures and we are fully committed to doing that.

“The initial business case produced for the third Thames crossing scheme demonstrated minor impacts resulting from the scheme on roads within South Oxfordshire. This work was jointly overseen by all authorities, including Oxfordshire.

“The proposed north Reading orbital route is one possible solution in direct response to concerns raised by Oxfordshire regarding the perceived impact of the third Thames crossing. If this is not supported then we would invite Oxfordshire to come forward with alternative mitigation measures.”