Multi-billion transport investment for South East £5.9 billion of investment to upgrade Reading Station and Thameslink rail services has been welcomed by the South East England Regional Transport Board (RTB).

These South East projects are two of only three national schemes that will receive full funding from the Department for Transport. The RTB welcomes Government's recognition that the South East needs greater investment in train services to support new development and reduce overcrowding.

Reading Station improvements, costing £425m, will provide four new platforms by 2014. Extra platforms will increase the number of trains the station can handle and cut delays to trains which currently have to queue outside the station.

The £5.5bn Thameslink upgrade will deliver twenty four 12-coach trains per hour by 2015, instead of the current eight 8-coach trains an hour. This will significantly improve journeys to and through London, including routes from Brighton to Bedford.

Chairman of the Transport Board, Cllr Nick Skellett, said:

“This is great news for millions of people in Reading, the South East and beyond. Improvements at Reading Station will reduce delays and make train journeys quicker for 30 million passengers a year. The Board and the South East England Regional Assembly, which have invested in the project, recognise how important it is to upgrade Reading Station to support our economic needs. We also welcome the Thameslink upgrade, which will significantly improve services for existing and new users."

Department for Transport proposals also include improving 150 local stations across the country including Dartford, East Grinstead, Fleet and Twyford.

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. The Reading and Thameslink schemes are included in the Government’s White Paper, Delivering a Sustainable Railway, published by the Department for Transport.
   
   
2. The Assembly is a partnership of councils and communities in the South East region. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the region, which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire and Surrey.
   
   
3. The Assembly is made up of 112 members including elected councillors nominated by the region's local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations) as well as the New Forest National Park Authority.
   
   
4. The Assembly has six roles:
1. Regional Planning:
   preparing and delivering the South East Plan
2. Regional Housing:
   the Regional Housing Board decides housing investment priorities
3. Regional Transport:
   the Regional Transport Board decides transport investment priorities
4. Advocacy:
   pressing the South East's interests in London and Brussels
5. Accountability:
   scrutinising SEEDA's plans and impact
6. Alignment:
   co-ordinating regional policies and decisions.

Our vision is for a distinctive, outward-looking, accessible region of prosperous, sustainable communities, with a high quality of life and environment.

Last updated: 21 August 2007