Hexagon, Broad St Mall and Fountain House
Reg Vastern-King chair and founder of the Friends of the IDR had watched the events unfolding at the Reading Borough Council (RBC) planning applications committee when the proposal to build four residential towers at Broad St Mall was discussed. I met Reg at his favourite hostelry, the Reindeer on Southampton Street to ask him what he thought about it all.
Coley pedestrian bridge over the IDR
Graham Turner presented a film about the route of the Inner Distribution Road (IDR) before it was built, at the History of Reading Society (HoRS) on 15 January. The venue, the Abbey Baptist Church, was almost full and the audience were entranced as changing scenes of the streets of Reading in the 1960s and 70s appeared before their eyes.
Reading Borough Council (RBC) offered its support this week to the sustainable transport charity Sustrans in their project to remove motorcycle barriers on the Kennet Path between the Katesgrove Lane IDR underpass and Fobney Lock.
Alpine Street grit bin in the sun July 2019
Katesgrove’s VIP grit bin tuned in to the webcast from Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport Committee on the evening of 20 November to find out about the gritter and grit bins plans for this winter.
The Black History Mural and the IDR
The Whitley Pump asked Reg Vastern-King, chair of the Friends of the IDR (Inner Distribution Road), what he thought about the Reading Borough Council (RBC) consultation on transport strategy; he was not impressed. “I just don’t understand,” he said “how can you carry out a transport strategy consultation which does not even ask how you feel about the IDR?”
So much excitement up here on Katesgrove Hill as the sound of the approaching motorcycle mounted race marshall announced that the race was on its way to the small crowd at the junction of Kendrick and Christchurch Roads .
By Reg Vastern-King, chair of the Friends of the IDR..
Reading’s Green party lit the briefest flicker of hope in the breasts of the Friends of the IDR this week that the town could convert the Inner Distribution Road (IDR) into a cycle track for a day.
The ski jump at the end of the IDR in 1984. The Hook and Tackle is the on the left, painted white.
Having carved its way from Caversham Road to the foot of Southampton Street, in the 1970s Reading’s Inner Distribution Road (IDR) stopped abruptly at the ‘ski jump’ where the Oracle roundabout now is. During this hiatus, Reading consulted and debated about whether and how to continue.
Willow Street today
Stage 2 of Reading’s Inner Distribution Road (IDR) from Castle Hill to Southampton Street was under construction during 1969. After crossing Castle Hill, pedestrians can use a slipway down to Coley.
The IDR as it was intended to be built at the time that Stage I was under construction.
Construction of Reading’s Inner Distribution Road (IDR) started in 1969, but it had been included in development plans since 1957 and no doubt was a twinkle in someone’s eye some time before that. It still bothers Reading’s civic soul when proposals are brought forward to make it one-way or to cover over part of it or turn it into a park.
The IDR as it was intended to be built at the time that Stage I was under construction.
The Whitley Pump is leading a walk around Reading’s Inner Distribution Road (IDR) as part of this year’s Heritage Open Days in September. Reading’s post-war history, in which it transformed from a primarily industrial to a retail town, circle the IDR like the IDR circles the town centre.
Heritage Open Days (HODs) take place over two September weekends this year; 6-9 September and 13-16 September. Local publicity leaflets are beginning to appear around Reading and you can also look for events on the HODs website.
The White Building
The second in a series of four On the Couch events from the Reading Fringe Festival at the White Building on King’s Road today (Thursday 25 July) had an unexpected Inner Distribution Road (IDR) theme. Alongside BBC Radio 3 presenter and fringe guest curator Fiona Talkington, the guests were Julie Simmonds, Jenny Halstead, Zsuzsi Lindsay (replacing Suzanne Stallard of Jelly who was unavailable) and Bobby Lonergan.
For this year’s Heritage Open Days festival the Whitley Pump will be leading a walk around the IDR on Sunday 16 September at 11am.
View of Reading from Coley School (Ray Atkins). Image courtesy of (c) Reading Borough Council (Reading Museum)
The 25th annual ‘Open for Art Festival‘ started on 2 July and continues until 8 July. To mark this anniversary there are 25 specially curated stories. Most of the venues are in central Reading but there are a few closer to home or of local interest.
‘Curtains Up!’ is the latest publication from Reading Borough Council (RBC) libraries. It tells the history of each of RBC’s music venues: the 1882 Concert Hall, the Hexagon and the newly refurbished South Street Arts Centre.
Oracle roundabout under the IDR
The Friends of the Inner Distribution Road (FIDR) will meet for their inaugural meeting today at the Little Crown public house on Southampton Street.
The 2018 Reading half marathon will take place on Sunday 18 March. The anti-clockwise route starts in Green Park and ends at the Madejksi stadium.
By Adam Harrington and John Howard.
Members of Reading’s Afro-Caribbean communities marched from the Central Club at the corner of London Street and Mill Lane to the Civic Offices on Monday 25 September to protest Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) decision to reject their bid to acquire the club and its famous mural.
Users of the IDR underpass between Katesgrove Lane and the County Lock were asked their opinion on Thursday 15 December.
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