Reading West MP Martin Salter has promised the Mayor of Reading and Battle Ward Councillor, Chris Maskell and Labour candidate for Battle Ward, Gul Khan, that he will take the campaign for a pedestrian and cycle bridge at Cow Lane to the Houses of Parliament.

Today (Monday 21^st April) Chris Maskell and activist Gul Khan presented Mr Salter with a petition signed by people who have backed the calls of the Battle Ward Labour Team and the Reading Cycling Campaign that Network Rail should make provision for a pedestrian and cycle friendly bridge across the current site of the Cow Lane Bridges and to be included in the plans to modernise Reading Station and upgrade the train tracks west of Reading town centre.

Mr Salter wrote to the Chief Executive of Network Rail in November 2007 to press the case for local residents to have access to the River Thames, Rivermead Leisure Centre, the Richfield Avenue Industrial Area and Caversham. Chiefs at Network Rail agreed to consider these suggestions.

Mr Salter said: -

‘The whole re-development project for the expansion and upgrade of Reading Station is extremely welcome news but as I have always said, it would be a real travesty if cyclists and pedestrians from local communities along the Oxford Road were cut-off from the Thames Promenade, Caversham, Richfield Avenue or the Rivermead Leisure Centre. I have promised Battle Ward councillors that I will hand this petition, signed by local residents, to the House of Commons in order to encourage Transport Ministers and Network Rail to come up with a solution.’

Mayor of Reading Chris Maskell said : -

‘I’ve brought my family up in the Oxford Road and there has always been a pedestrian and cycle route to the Thames and Rivermead. Many families in the Oxford Road area walk and cycle regularly along the river and enjoy the participating in the activities at Rivermead – this simply won’t be possible for those without vehicles if the pedestrian route is closed.’

Labour Candidate for Battle Ward Gul Khan said: -

‘Network Rail must be able to come up with something that maintains the pedestrian link between the terrace houses of the Oxford Road and the Thames Promenade and Rivermead, as a taxi driver who lives on the Oxford Road I know how many families walk to the riverside for relaxation and exercise. Not everyone has access to a private car and I don’t want to see Oxford Road cut off from the river.’