Reading Station: Views sought on lifting subway cycling ban

Cyclists currently have to dismout their bikes and walk them through

Views are being sought on plans to lift a cycling ban through a subway under a railway station.

Reading Borough Council is looking to revamp the underpass under Reading Station, including taking down low-hanging ceiling tiles to add headroom.

Since the station's revamp 10 years ago, due to its low ceilings, cyclists have had to walk their bikes through.

The subway links the Caversham side of Reading Station to the town centre.

The council said during the station's revamp "engineering constraints at the time meant the subway construction included a low suspended ceiling".

"As a result, a cycling prohibition order was put in place due to height and width clearances being substandard," it added.

The authority said removing the low-hanging ceiling tiles which see "regular vandalism", to increase the height of the subway would "enable us to consider the removal of the existing order".

It has agreed to spend £200,000 on the repairs to the ceilings, wall and floor tiles, with work due to start in the spring.

A consultation on removing the cycling prohibition order runs until 23 February.

The authority said all comments would then be considered at the council's traffic management sub committee meeting in March, before a final decision is made by councillors.