Tilehurst station - facilities, incidents and improvements (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

West Drayton was also changed to SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) 8 last weekend.  The on-train announcements are correct I believe, but the station ones have yet to catch up by the sounds of it.

[Oxonhutch]

The recorded announcement at Pangbourne this morning for the 0952 to Paddington (8 car 387) advised passengers for Tilehurst and West Drayton to travel in the front 7 coaches.

Reading station on the Down this evening is still announcing short platforms on the intermediate stops to Didcot. The 8-coach train itself did not.

[janes]

The rear doors opened on the 7:54 from Tilehurst this morning. No-one was standing in that spot though so obviously the message hasn't got out yet! I will try standing there tomorrow and see what happens....

[Marlburian]

I had a leaflet from a political party on Monday announcing that more yellow lines would be painted down Overdown Road to deter rail commuters leaving their cars there all day. I walk and drive along that road now and then and have never noticed a problem, and it could be said that the odd parked car calms traffic. Time was when commuters could park in many side streets and on Oxford Road itself, but yellow lines have been gradually extended. It was certainly necessary at the bottom of Oak Tree Road, where a long line of cars reduced it to a single lane.

Now and then I have wondered how many commuters who drive to stations and don't live that locally opt for Tilehurst and Theale, rather than pay far more and suffer more congestion at Reading - where there's more  hassle getting on rush-hour trains. (Not a good idea the last three days, of course, with the disrupted services we're discussing elsewhere.)

[janes]

Oak Tree Road is ridiculous! They have just a 1-hour period in the day where you can't park - which inexplicably is a different hour on each side of the road - which is obviously intended as pure pettiness and spite against us poor commuters who can't afford and/or can't get a space in the ridiculously small and overpriced station car park, because there is absolutely no other rational explanation for such an arbitrary restriction. The result is that (depending on when people arrive) some people park one side of the road and some on the other - and many ignore the restrictions altogether and park there anyway.

And now here they go again - they should be ENCOURAGING people to park in roads surrounding the station and use the train, not keep trying to stop it.

Fortunately you can still (for the moment anyway) park for free on Kentwood Hill and some of the surrounding roads if you are prepared to endure the occasional poison pen note on your windscreen from the NIMBYS.

And yes I find it totally incomprehensible why anyone would ever even consider paying the extortionate car park charges to park at Reading Station - if everyone boycotted that car park and used suburban stations or came in by bus they would have to reduce the charges. While there are still enough mugs/millionaires prepared to pay them there is absolutely no incentive for them to do so!

[eightonedee]

Isn't it time someone considered one of those "self assembly " mechanno type car parks like the ones at Didcot and Wokingham for Tilehurst (and Theale- even Goring which fills up although I doubt that there is the space)?

[Marlburian]

Before the council restricted commuter parking at the bottom of Oak Tree Road it was hazardous to other motorists and to residents trying to extract their cars from their drives through a narrow gap between two parked cars that blocked sight lines and into a road that was in effect a single lane with bi-directional traffic.

I saw several near-misses when a car followed another from Kentwood Hill into Oak Tree Road, only to find that the car in front had braked suddenly to allow an oncoming vehicle to pass a dozen parked cars. The second car would then brake suddenly, sometimes half-across Kentwood Hill and in front of a vehicle descending at speed.

The section of Carlisle Road next to Oxford Road once had commuters parked on both sides. With the bollards now inhibiting through traffic, it could be argued that all-day parking could be allowed on one side.

And Elsley Road (also with bollards discouraging through traffic) is wide enough to have parking on both sides, though I recall complaints that the garage next to the Roebuck was using it as a car park.

[lordgoata]

Isn't it time someone considered one of those "self assembly " mechanno type car parks like the ones at Didcot and Wokingham for Tilehurst (and Theale- even Goring which fills up although I doubt that there is the space)?

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are trying to obtain the land beyond the current car park at Goring so that they can move their stuff further up, and add additional spaces at Goring - or something along those lines, was in the Goring Gap magazine this month, but I don't have it anymore. I think that land acquisition is tied to several others, so its probably all tied up in tape like usual.

[janes]

Before the council restricted commuter parking at the bottom of Oak Tree Road it was hazardous to other motorists and to residents trying to extract their cars from their drives through a narrow gap between two parked cars that blocked sight lines and into a road that was in effect a single lane with bi-directional traffic.

I saw several near-misses when a car followed another from Kentwood Hill into Oak Tree Road, only to find that the car in front had braked suddenly to allow an oncoming vehicle to pass a dozen parked cars. The second car would then brake suddenly, sometimes half-across Kentwood Hill and in front of a vehicle descending at speed.

The section of Carlisle Road next to Oxford Road once had commuters parked on both sides. With the bollards now inhibiting through traffic, it could be argued that all-day parking could be allowed on one side.

And Elsley Road (also with bollards discouraging through traffic) is wide enough to have parking on both sides, though I recall complaints that the garage next to the Roebuck was using it as a car park.

My point about the restrictions on Oak Tree Road was referring to the totally ridiculous nature of them - either the road is safe to park on or it is not, period. It cannot possibly be unsafe to park there between 11-12am on one side of the road and between 12-1pm on the other side, but perfectly safe at all other times! Double yellow lines on the whole of one side, and unrestricted parking on the other with a few sections of double-yellows stuck in at sufficient intervals to provide safe passing places, or a blanket "30 mins only - no return within 1 Hour" restriction that did not specifically discriminate against commuters would not have aroused so much ire!

And yes Carlisle and Elesley Roads were exactly the places I meant - I really can't think of any rational reason at all why you are not allowed to park there, except for mindless adherence to some weird dogma mandating that "we have to stop people parking in roads near stations" without ever questioning why.

The problem is not just restricted to Tilehurst BTW^▸ (by the way) - the whole country has perfectly parkable-in roads within 500 yards of stations left empty all day due to double yellow lines or CPZ's that simply cannot be justified on the grounds of safety or preventing obstruction, but purely because the locals say they "don't want commuters parking here" (even if they have their own garages or driveways and don't actually want to be able to park there themselves).

[Richard Fairhurst]

My point about the restrictions on Oak Tree Road was referring to the totally ridiculous nature of them - either the road is safe to park on or it is not, period. It cannot possibly be unsafe to park there between 11-12am on one side of the road and between 12-1pm on the other side, but perfectly safe at all other times!

Parking restrictions aren't purely about safety. There is express DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) guidance that they can be used for "tackling congestion and changing travel behaviour".

[Marlburian]

My point about the restrictions on Oak Tree Road was referring to the totally ridiculous nature of them - either the road is safe to park on or it is not, period. It cannot possibly be unsafe to park there between 11-12am on one side of the road and between 12-1pm on the other side, but perfectly safe at all other times! Double yellow lines on the whole of one side, and unrestricted parking on the other with a few sections of double-yellows stuck in at sufficient intervals to provide safe passing places, or a blanket "30 mins only - no return within 1 Hour" restriction that did not specifically discriminate against commuters would not have aroused so much ire!

I wonder if the Council sought a compromise between the sensitivities of the residents about commuter parking and their wishes to park outside their houses. With so many houses now having two or three car-owners, I wonder what they do with their vehicles up to 1500.

Incidentally, to depart from the theme of the last few posts, I and several of my neighbours treat the bend in Oak Tree Road with caution as the majority of drivers seem unable to keep to their sides of the white line.

[grahame]

My point about the restrictions on Oak Tree Road was referring to the totally ridiculous nature of them - either the road is safe to park on or it is not, period. It cannot possibly be unsafe to park there between 11-12am on one side of the road and between 12-1pm on the other side, but perfectly safe at all other times!

Parking restrictions aren't purely about safety. There is express DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) guidance that they can be used for "tackling congestion and changing travel behaviour".

Indeed.   I was in a meeting yesterday and a topic that came up was a car park which, previously free, will become charging.  A desire for yellow lines on surrounding roads was raised - not because of any initial concern at the safety aspects, but rather ... well, I'm sure you can guess!

[Celestial]

My point about the restrictions on Oak Tree Road was referring to the totally ridiculous nature of them - either the road is safe to park on or it is not, period. It cannot possibly be unsafe to park there between 11-12am on one side of the road and between 12-1pm on the other side, but perfectly safe at all other times! Double yellow lines on the whole of one side, and unrestricted parking on the other with a few sections of double-yellows stuck in at sufficient intervals to provide safe passing places, or a blanket "30 mins only - no return within 1 Hour" restriction that did not specifically discriminate against commuters would not have aroused so much ire!

It's a fairly clever way of ensuring that commuters don't clog up side streets adjacent to stations to save the parking cost, and thus preventing residents and visitors from parking. By alternating it means that residents can move their car during the day, whilst always having somewhere to park, and prevents commuters from using the space.  It's been used in places for over 20 years, and residents prefer it to a residents parking scheme which inevitably costs money to administer which of course falls on the residents.

And by barring commuter parking it helps safety, as often the roads do become completely clogged with parked cars. 

You may not like it, but I think it's reasonable to put in place measures to ensure that commuters use the car park provided for them and don't park locally to the detriment to the living conditions of residents.

[Oxonhutch]

Indeed.   I was in a meeting yesterday and a topic that came up was a car park which, previously free, will become charging.  A desire for yellow lines on surrounding roads was raised - not because of any initial concern at the safety aspects, but rather ... well, I'm sure you can guess!

Cholsey APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) carpark will sting you £100 (reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days) if you forget to ticket or park outside of their marked bays - that includes the unmarked gap between the first bay and the council's double yellow lines on the highway which swing into the carpark (northern side of the lower carpark). This compares to £70 (reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days) if you just park on the yellow lines outside on the street.

There were two tickets issued today for parking in the blank zone.  This blank zone looks a bit dodgy - GWR please note, it is your managed station. A fancy lawyer I believe would have a field day. The bays were repainted after they faded to near-nothing (tickets still being issued) but then failed to add a 25m stretch of double yellow lines.

[janes]

My point about the restrictions on Oak Tree Road was referring to the totally ridiculous nature of them - either the road is safe to park on or it is not, period. It cannot possibly be unsafe to park there between 11-12am on one side of the road and between 12-1pm on the other side, but perfectly safe at all other times! Double yellow lines on the whole of one side, and unrestricted parking on the other with a few sections of double-yellows stuck in at sufficient intervals to provide safe passing places, or a blanket "30 mins only - no return within 1 Hour" restriction that did not specifically discriminate against commuters would not have aroused so much ire!

It's a fairly clever way of ensuring that commuters don't clog up side streets adjacent to stations to save the parking cost, and thus preventing residents and visitors from parking. By alternating it means that residents can move their car during the day, whilst always having somewhere to park, and prevents commuters from using the space.  It's been used in places for over 20 years, and residents prefer it to a residents parking scheme which inevitably costs money to administer which of course falls on the residents.

And by barring commuter parking it helps safety, as often the roads do become completely clogged with parked cars. 

You may not like it, but I think it's reasonable to put in place measures to ensure that commuters use the car park provided for them and don't park locally to the detriment to the living conditions of residents.

That argument can only be used when sufficient affordable station car parking is provided to meet the demand. In this case it is not. And as for the families with 2 or 3 cars - surely THAT is something that should in no way be condoned or facilitated by the Council. Especially when they live near stations! What should be happening under the heading of "changing travel behaviours" is encouraging as many people as possible to use public transport by complete deregulation of all parking in the vicinity of stations and radial bus routes (apart from where it genuinely does cause congestion or safety hazard, or prevent people parking near their homes or local shops, of course - the bar for proving those conditions should be set high) and making things hard for people with more than 2 vehicles in their household.