Following my post last week about our campaign to get problems of overspill parking tackled connected to the Royal Berks Hospital sorted, more news has come to light that could make matters even worse for staff, visitors and residents.
Cllr Gareth Epps (in neighbouring Katesgrove) blogged about the University of Reading's plans to redevelop the London Road.
I share his frustration that the University seems to be able to find a large amount of money to spruce up this campus and yet apparently cannot find the cash to continue funding PCSOs around the edge of its campuses.
This is the second controversial announcement relating to the University's redevelopment of some of it's Halls to come out in the last couple of months.
The other was the news (in October) that the University's flawed proposals to redevelop Mansfield Hall had been overturned at appeal by a planning inspector.
We joined our Katesgrove colleagues and actively opposed this plan when it was submitted because we shared residents' concerns about the impact this redevelopment could have on the local area and the quality of life of local residents.
But the news gets even worse for local residents.
Joe Wise, spokesperson for Royal Berks Hospital Trust revealed in yesterday's Get Reading that 120 parking spaces reserved for staff will be lost from January 29.
I remember when we met Hospital representatives to discuss parking problems last year they complained that the University had failed to keep them in the loop about their halls redevelopment plans.
Join the club! Community consultation is definetly not the University of Reading's strong point.
At our meeting with the Trust last year we discussed the University's plans (those that we were aware of) and Hospital management expressed fears to us at that time about losing parking spaces at Mansfield Hall (rented by the Hospital from the University)
In my view it is pretty poor that the University does not seek to foster good relations with a key stakeholder in the locality such as the Hospital. This could be a mutually beneficial relationship.
It is reminscent of the highly parochial, short-sighted decision the University took earlier this year to close the School of Social Care. No thought was given then to the consequences this would have on the local community or local social services in Berkshire.
As well as causing problems for Hospital staff, this move by the University could dump even more cars and traffic on already-congested roads around Redlands.
Kirsten, Glenn and I will be meeting RBC and RBH representatives early in the New Year to try and get a solution that works for everyone on the table as soon as possible.
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