Reading's new railway station due to open next summer
Green Park has been delayed several times
Last updated 17th Aug 2021
Reading's new railway station won't open until next summer according to the latest forecast.
Construction on the new £20 million station began in Spring 2019 but was delayed by the pandemic.
Reading Borough Council is leading on the construction and work is expected to be completed by November this year.
A commissioning period involving the train companies and Network Rail then follows, where the Council needs to wait four to six months for the station to receive authorisation to be entered into service.
Green Park Station is expected to be open for public use by June 2022.
The 15-meter bridge spanning the double tracks and weighing approximately 24 tonnes was lifted over the railway using a 200-tonne mobile crane.
The full installation of the 2 lift shafts, 2 stair flights and support towers and the overbridge were lifted in over four consecutive weekends, and work was completed earlier this month.
Green Park Station will sit on the Reading to Basingstoke line and will be served by a half-hourly service north to Reading and south to Basingstoke through the day. It will consist of two platforms with disabled access and a multi-modal interchange with a surface level car park, bus stops, taxi rank and cycle parking.
When complete, the new station will serve Green Park with its growing business and residential developments as well as offering football supporters an alternative way to reach the home of the Royals at the SCL stadium.
Tony Page, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, said:
“It is good to see real progress on the construction of the new Green Park Station with the new passenger footbridge in position.
“As with all major construction projects, the health emergency did cause some initial delays but, all being well, we are now around 3 months away from construction being complete. The station will then be commissioned by Network Rail and GWR before it can open for public use next year.
“When operational, Green Park Station will form an integral part of Reading’s ever-growing sustainable transport infrastructure with more homes, businesses and leisure developments planned in the south of the borough. It will also be another option for football fans heading to the Stadium on match days, again taking the pressure off our busy roads.”
GWR Business Development Director Tom Pierpoint said:
“It’s exciting to see Reading Green Park Station starting to take real shape with the installation of the new footbridge. We are working closely with the Council and Network Rail to deliver a project which will provide even better connectivity for customers.
“Reading is a key destination on our network and this new station will help to secure the economic prosperity of the region as we seek to build back better from the pandemic.”