LIB DEMS IN BERKS AND OXON UNITE AGAINST ONE-WAY IDR PLANS

11.59.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th Sep 2006

Liberal Democrat leaders from Reading Borough Council and all four surrounding councils have issued a joint statement ahead of Thursday's critical Borough Council meeting, urging the ruling Labour administration to think again.

The statement slams the Borough Council for failing to properly deal with objections submitted from Reading residents and also from neighbouring councils. It highlights the lack of public engagement at the meeting, which will not allow public participation; and also the lack of clear measures to mitigate the likely effects of the scheme on neighbouring roads.

The decision to take the step of issuing such a joint statement stems from Liberal Democrats' suspicions that Reading Borough Council is attempting to steamroller the plans through without considering the knock-on effects in those neighbouring the IDR in Reading as well as neighbouring authorities.

The statement reads as follows:

JOINT STATEMENT BY LEADERS OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT COUNCILLOR GROUPS OF READING BOROUGH COUNCIL, WOKINGHAM DISTRICT COUNCIL, WEST BERKS DISTRICT COUNCIL AND OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL REGARDING READING BOROUGH COUNCIL'S IDR PROPOSALS

Liberal Democrat Councillors from Reading, Wokingham, West Berkshire and South Oxfordshire all believe that the proposals by Reading Borough Council's ruling Labour group to turn Reading's inner ring road (the IDR) one-way are flawed and need to be put on hold to allow essential consultation to take place to see if the scheme is viable in any form.

It is clear that Reading has not seriously considered the objections that were submitted formally and with due process. Many of these are concerned not just at the hopelessly inadequate consultation process, but on the significant increase in traffic flow the IDR plans will have on neighbouring communities. Labour-controlled Reading Borough Council has not fully evaluated these, nor has it produced proposals for mitigation.

The lack of engagement with the public for Thursday's council meeting has been consistent with the Labour-led council's failure to respect the legitimate concerns of citizens and groups in Reading and neighbouring councils.

The Liberal Democrats are the only major party which has opposed the one-way IDR from the outset. We all share concerns about this scheme which ducks the key transport issues affecting Reading today.

We urge Reading Borough Council not to take this decision on Thursday.