Editing Reading, Berkshire (section)

==Transport==
{{Main|Transport in Reading, Berkshire}}
[[File:FrysIsland01.JPG|thumb|The [[River Thames]] from [[Caversham Bridge]] looking eastwards]]
[[File:Reading Station drone view.jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of [[Reading railway station|Reading station]] in October 2023]]
[[File:Reading - GWR 800026+800024 up service.JPG|thumb|A [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]] {{brc|800}} with a service to London]]
Reading's location in the [[Thames Valley]] to the west of London has made the town a significant element in the nation's transport system.

===River===
The town grew up as a river port at the confluence of the [[River Thames]] and the [[River Kennet]]. Both of these rivers are navigable, and [[Caversham Lock]], [[Blake's Lock]], [[County Lock]], [[Fobney Lock]] and [[Southcote Lock]] are all within the borough. Today, navigation is predominantly for purposes of leisure: private and hire boats dominate traffic, while scheduled boat services operate on the Thames from [[wharves]] on the Reading side of the river near [[Caversham Bridge]].<ref name="salters">{{cite web | publisher = Salters Steamers |url=http://www.salterssteamers.co.uk/readhen.htm | title = Reading to Henley Service |access-date=30 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070802161401/http://www.salterssteamers.co.uk/readhen.htm | archive-date=2 August 2007 }}</ref><ref name="boatserv">{{cite web |publisher=Thames River Cruises | url = http://www.thamesrivercruise.co.uk/scheduled_trip2.asp |title=Boat service from Reading to Mapledurham | access-date = 29 April 2007 | url-status = dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430174450/http://www.thamesrivercruise.co.uk/scheduled_trip2.asp | archive-date=30 April 2007 }}</ref>

===Road===
Reading was a major staging point on the [[A4 road (England)|old Bath Road (A4)]] from London to [[Avonmouth]] near Bristol. This road still carries local traffic, but has now been replaced for long-distance traffic by the [[M4 motorway]], which closely skirts the borough and serves it with three junctions, J10-J12. Other main roads serving Reading include the [[A33 road|A33]], A327, [[A329 road|A329]], [[A4074 road|A4074]] and A4155. Within Reading there is the [[Inner Distribution Road]] (IDR), a ring road for local traffic. The IDR is linked with the M4 by the A33 [[Bypass (road)|relief road]]. The [[Thames]] is crossed by both [[Reading Bridge|Reading]] and [[Caversham Bridge|Caversham]] road bridges, while several road bridges cross the Kennet, the oldest surviving one of which is [[High Bridge, Reading|High Bridge]].<ref>{{cite web|title=11 High Bridge|url=http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/radstock/rht/trail/trail11.html|work=Reading History Trail|access-date=9 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514074400/http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/radstock/rht/trail/trail11.html <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archive-date=14 May 2011}}</ref>

Reading has two operational [[park and ride]] sites. Mereoak, a short distance south of Junction 11 of the M4, is also a stop for [[National Express Coaches]] between London and the West.<ref>{{cite web|title=Destinations|url=http://www.nationalexpress.com/coach/destinations/destinationdetails.cfm?t=own&location_code=61206&fromc=Reading%20-%20Calcot|publisher=National Express|access-date=13 June 2011|archive-date=15 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615134850/http://www.nationalexpress.com/coach/destinations/destinationdetails.cfm?t=own&location_code=61206&fromc=Reading%20-%20Calcot|url-status=live}}</ref> A site outside the [[Winnersh Triangle railway station]] opened in 2015 and is easily accessed from the junction where the A329(M) becomes the A3290.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-34626113 |title=New park and ride for Reading in operation |date=26 October 2015 |access-date=2 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102103003/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-berkshire-34626113 |archive-date=2 November 2021 |url-status=live |work=BBC News |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref>

===Rail===
Reading is a major junction point of the [[National Rail]] system, and hence [[Reading railway station|Reading station]] is a transfer point and terminus. In a project that finished in 2015, Reading station was redeveloped at a cost of £850m, with [[grade separation]] of some conflicting traffic flows, and extra platforms, to relieve severe congestion at this station.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6339.aspx | title = Reading station area redevelopment | publisher = [[Network Rail]] | access-date = 13 June 2011 | archive-date = 28 December 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161228050820/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6339.aspx | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Reading rail station's £850m upgrade to finish early|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-13437508|work=[[BBC News]]|location=London|access-date=13 June 2011|date=18 May 2011|archive-date=21 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521095943/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-13437508|url-status=live}}</ref> Railway lines link Reading to both [[Paddington railway station|Paddington]] and [[London Waterloo railway station|Waterloo]] stations in London. Other stations in the Reading area are [[Reading West railway station|Reading West]], [[Reading Green Park railway station|Reading Green Park]], [[Tilehurst railway station|Tilehurst]] and [[Earley railway station|Earley]].  

Reading is a western terminus of the [[Elizabeth line]], which provides stopping services to London Paddington, and means Reading is featured on the London [[Tube map]]. Cross-London connections are possible from Reading to [[Abbey Wood railway station|Abbey Wood]] and [[Shenfield railway station|Shenfield]] in the east.<ref>[https://www.crossrail.co.uk/project/our-plan-to-complete-the-elizabeth-line/phased-opening#:~:text=2023%20%2D%20Final%20version%20of%20the,trains%20per%20hour%20off%2Dpeak Phased Opening] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928021557/https://www.crossrail.co.uk/project/our-plan-to-complete-the-elizabeth-line/phased-opening#:~:text=2023%20%2D%20Final%20version%20of%20the,trains%20per%20hour%20off%2Dpeak |date=28 September 2022 }} Crossrail</ref>

===Air===
There have been two [[airfield]]s in or near Reading, one at [[Coley Park]]<ref name=cpabac>{{cite web | title = The Coley Park Aerodrome and CWS Jam Works | url = http://www.users.on.net/~kevros/coleypark/oc_aerocws.htm | publisher = Coley Park & Beyond (Kevin Rosier) | access-date = 15 February 2008 | archive-date = 23 February 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080223134821/http://www.users.on.net/~kevros/coleypark/oc_aerocws.htm | url-status = live }}</ref> and one at [[Woodley, Berkshire|Woodley]],<ref name=woodleyairfield>{{cite web|title=Home|url=http://home.comcast.net/~aero51/html/|publisher=Museum of Berkshire Aviation|access-date=26 June 2011|archive-date=15 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615234514/http://home.comcast.net/~aero51/html/|url-status=live}}</ref> but they have both closed. The nearest international airport is [[Heathrow Airport|London Heathrow]], {{convert|20|mi}} away. An express bus service named [[RailAir]] links Reading with Heathrow,<ref>{{Cite web|title=RailAir {{!}} First Bus|url=https://www.firstbus.co.uk/railair|access-date=26 January 2022|website=www.firstbus.co.uk|archive-date=26 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126174415/https://www.firstbus.co.uk/railair|url-status=live}}</ref> or the airport can be accessed by rail by taking the [[Elizabeth line]] to [[Hayes & Harlington railway station|Hayes & Harlington]] and changing for a connecting service to Heathrow. This journey takes around 45 minutes by rail.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Reading to Heathrow Airport|url=https://www.heathrowexpress.com/reading-to-heathrow-airport-by-train/|access-date=26 January 2022|website=Heathrow Express Train|archive-date=26 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126174409/https://www.heathrowexpress.com/reading-to-heathrow-airport-by-train/|url-status=live}}</ref> London City Airport can be reached via a direct train to [[Custom House station|Custom House]] on the Elizabeth line followed by a short bus connection. [[Gatwick Airport]] can be accessed via a direct local train operating via Guildford, and [[Luton Airport|Luton]] and [[London Stansted Airport|Stansted]] airports can be accessed with one change in Central London. Further afield, [[Southampton Airport]] can be accessed directly by rail in around 50-70 minutes depending on the service, or reached by road in approximately the same timeframe.

===Public transport===
Today local public transport is largely by road, which is often affected by peak hour congestion in the borough. A frequent local bus network within the borough, and a less frequent network in the surrounding area, are provided by [[Reading Buses]] - one of the few remaining [[Municipal bus company|municipal bus companies]] in the country - and its subsidiaries Newbury & District and [[Thames Valley Buses]]. Other bus operators serving Reading include [[Carousel Buses]], [[Thames Travel]] and RedRose.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/bus.aspx | title = travel Reading - Travel By Bus | publisher = [[Reading Borough Council]] | access-date = 20 February 2016 | archive-date = 4 February 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160204141036/http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/bus.aspx | url-status = live }}</ref> [[ReadiBus]] provides an on-demand transport service for people with restricted mobility in the area.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.readibus.co.uk/ | title = ReadiBus The Dial-a-Ride, door-to-door assisted bus service | publisher = [[ReadiBus]] | access-date = 20 February 2016 | archive-date = 3 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165223/http://www.readibus.co.uk/ | url-status = live }}</ref>


===Bike sharing===
In March 2011, Reading Borough Council approved a bike sharing scheme similar to [[London Cycle Hire Scheme]], with 1,000 bicycles available at up to 150 docking stations across Reading. However this scheme came to an end in March 2019, with the operator unable to cover the operational costs or find a sponsor to do so.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bike Hire Plans for Reading|url=http://www.reading.gov.uk/pressreleases/2011/mar/bike-hire-plans-for-reading/|publisher=Reading Borough Council|access-date=5 April 2012|date=10 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904162407/http://www.reading.gov.uk/pressreleases/2011/mar/bike-hire-plans-for-reading/|archive-date=4 September 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Fort|first=Linda|title=Green light for Reading bike hire scheme|url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2089319_green_light_for_reading_bike_hire_scheme|work=[[Reading Post]]|publisher=Surrey & Berkshire Media|access-date=25 June 2011|date=15 March 2011|archive-date=11 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911200746/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2089319_green_light_for_reading_bike_hire_scheme|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reading.co.uk/readybike-cycle-hire-reading/ |title=ReadyBike Cycle Hire Comes To An End In Reading |work=Reading.co.uk |date=18 March 2019 |access-date=13 September 2021 |archive-date=13 September 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913111425/https://www.reading.co.uk/readybike-cycle-hire-reading/}}</ref>