Red Route
Red Route Western Corridor plans
Red Route Eastern Corridor plans
Background
Between 12th June 2017 and 21st July 2017, we invited informal feedback, to consider making a Red Route along the bus route number 17. A Red Route is a ‘no stopping’ restriction which has worked well on major bus routes in London for many years. The Red Routes keep key public transport moving and prevent delays for bus passengers and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
The scope of the proposal was to consider a combination of double-red and single-red lines to largely mirror the existing yellow-line controls and create a corridor ‘no-stopping’ restriction. Existing parking and loading bays along the route were to be maintained and additional facilities provided, where possible.
Double red lines will mean no vehicles can stop at any time, including to load or unload. There are some exceptions, such as hackney carriages, private hire vehicles and blue badge holders, who are allowed to stop to let passengers in and out. Single red lines will mean that drivers will be able to stop or park in accordance with the signed restriction.
The red route restrictions can be enforced by CCTV cameras, enabling efficient management of unwanted stopping movements that disrupt traffic flow and create obstacles and hazards for cyclists and pedestrians.
Implementation
In September 2017, our Traffic Management Sub-Committee gave approval for this to be implemented as a test Traffic Regulation Order, which will be divided into 3 sections – West, East and Central.
Promoting the scheme on an experimental Order allows for flexibility with the scheme, as it enables minor changes to be made to the restrictions once they are in place – it therefore allows us to shape the restriction to best meet local needs.
After the initial 6 months of the test, the Sub-Committee will be required to consider any objections received and to decide whether or not to continue with the scheme. The experimental order can last for a maximum of 18 months.
The Eastern and Western corridor is now complete, with the Town Centre now under experimental order.
The Town Centre experimental order has been in place for 6 months now, during this period we have had an open consultation and have received some useful feedback. During this first 6 months, we have the ability to make some relatively minor adjustments and have now implemented a plan of alterations to better support Reading’s Town Centre businesses and economy. From 4th January 2021 a further 6 month consultation phase has begun, following which a decision will need to be taken on whether to permanently implement the scheme.
Information and Feedback
This webpage contains a number of documents to assist in understanding of the scheme and the detail of the Red Route restrictions. Detailed plans of the scheme will be added as each section is implemented.
The innovative nature of this restriction means that we will be reviewing feedback over a minimum period of 6 months, following opening of the route. Your views are important to us and we’d be grateful to receive your feedback and any suggestions that you may have for local alterations to the scheme.
Should you wish to comment, support or object to the restrictions, please do so by writing to highway.objections@reading.gov.uk. Please include ‘Red Route – East’, ‘Red Route – West’ or ‘Red Route – Centre’ in the email subject line and provide the reasons for any objections to the scheme.
Red Route dispensations
In some cases, we will allow exemptions to the existing parking controls. These are known as dispensations. The main reason we have brought in the dispensation process is to allow occasional loading and unloading in location where we have the red route however they need to stop at these locations to conduct certain activities where no other bays are suitable or can be conducted outside of the restricted hours.
We manage parking dispensations along red routes by application.
Contact us as early as possible if you want to apply for a red route dispensation. We need at least six working days (including the day we receive your request) to process your application.
A dispensation may not be granted where reasonable parking alternatives are available or simply for reasons of convenience. For example, if you are making a delivery, we would expect loading/unloading to take place in nearby parking or loading bays rather than immediately outside a property.
Dispensations requested for parking on single or double red lines are only granted in exceptional circumstances (such as erecting scaffolding, moving heavy items). This often requires special consideration and a review by our team and could involve conducting a site visit before the application can be granted.
Last updated on 06/11/2024
Red Route