Green Park Station to open this month

Twenty-two years after it was first consented, Reading Green Park Station is to open on Saturday, May 27.

The new station is the first to open in Reading since Reading West in July 1906 and the first of three new Great Western Railway (GWR) stations opening this year.

The two-150-metre platform station on the Reading to Basingstoke line will have a bus interchange, taxi rank and cycle parking.

Tony Page, Reading Borough Council’s lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, said: “I’m thrilled that we finally have an opening date for Reading Green Park Station. This will be Reading’s first brand new station since the opening of Reading West station on the first of July 1906.

“When open for public use from Saturday 27 May, Reading Green Park Station will form an integral part of Reading’s ever-growing sustainable transport infrastructure.

“The new multi-modal interchange will dramatically improve accessibility and connectivity to this important area of south Reading. The future expansion of the business park and residential areas on Green Park, as well as the proposed Royal Elm Park mixed use development, will all benefit from the new station.

“It will also be another option for football fans heading to the Stadium on match days, again taking the pressure off our busy local roads.”

GWR business development director Tom Pierpoint said: “New stations such as Reading Green Park are vital in bringing the railway closer to people as we all become more mindful to live and travel more sustainably.

“Reading Green Park is one of three GWR stations to open this year along with Marsh Barton in Exeter and Portway Park & Ride in Bristol and we are excited for the benefits these stations will bring to local residents, businesses and leisure travellers in the areas they will serve.”

The first application for Green Park Station was approved in 2001. A number of subsequent alterations, new applications and variations were made before funding of £9.15 million was approved by Thames Valley Berkshire LEP’s Local Growth Fund in 2014 which set the funding in motion.

A further £5.6m came from s106 developer contributions. In 2017 the Department for Transport announced a further £2.3m and in 2019 the council secured £2.477m from the Government’s New Stations Fund. There was a further £550,000 from the Local Growth Fund, along with £1.25m from GWR and £2.015m from Network Rail in March 2022.

A virtual tour of the station is available at: https://youtu.be/0ou3XT8bw-w

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