Proposed Bus Lane

Overview

Proposed implementation of enforceable bus lane restrictions, as part of the Council’s South Reading MRT scheme, as detailed below:

London Street, southbound bus lane:
A southbound bus lane will be built by utilising spare space currently hatched out on London Street from its junction with Mill Lane to south of its junction with Crown Street. The space made available will allow the existing southbound lane to be relocated to the centre of the road allowing the new bus lane to be located at the nearside adjacent to existing bus stops. The existing capacity of the road will be increased by the segregation of buses into their own lane.

A33, southbound bus lanes:
A southbound bus lane will be built by reconstructing the verges alongside the A33 to provide space for bus lanes between:

a. the junction with Rose Kiln Lane (North) to the existing left hand slip lane to Rose Kiln Lane (South); and
b. south of the River Kennet A33 bridge to the existing left hand slip lane to Lindsifarne Way.

In addition, a TRO is needed in order to enforce the use of the existing bus lane from Lindisfarne Way to Bennet Road.

A33, northbound bus lanes:
A northbound bus lane will be built by reconstructing the verges alongside the A33 to provide space for bus lanes between:

a. the junction with Bennet Road to the junction with Island Road; and
b. from the junction with Island Road to north of the junction with Rose Kiln Lane (South).

Beresford Road
At the roundabout with Portman Road and Cow Lane there are width restrictions for the north and southbound traffic lanes and a single centre lane that is restricted by ‘No Entry Except Buses’ in both directions. The intension of these restrictions is to reduce the traffic volumes using Beresford Road as a short-cut between Cow Lane and Oxford Road and to prohibit large vehicles, such as HGVs from doing the same.

Garrard Street
Following delays to the commencement of the major Station Hill development works, the Council agreed to temporarily re-open Garrard Street for use as a taxi (Hackney Carriage) feeder rank to the temporarily re-opened ‘horseshoe’ rank outside Reading Railway Station (south-east).

Officers have received reports that the ‘gate’ restriction that permits vehicles to exit Garrard Street onto Station Road is being abused by unauthorised vehicles. It is also likely that this temporary feeder rank will be in operation for longer than originally anticipated, due to uncertainty regarding the commencement date of the development works that will necessitate the closure of Garrard Street.

Recent changes to national regulations provide local Highway Authorities with greater flexibility regarding the restrictions that can be implemented to control the types of vehicles authorised to travel through bus gates and along bus lanes.