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University of Reading

Reminder: Queen's Drive access arrangements

Friday, 24 August 2018

Queen's Drive closure

QueenÔÇÖs Drive is the road turning into Whiteknights campus from the Shinfield Road entrance.

The final phase of maintenance work along Queen’s Drive, Whiteknights campus, will begin over a week ahead of schedule, following strong progress over recent weeks.   

The last stage of work was originally set to begin on Monday 3 September, but is now expected to start on Friday 24 August. As a result, the project will likely now be complete by Friday 14 September, a week earlier than originally expected.  

The work area will be concentrated halfway across the road junction between Old Whiteknights House and Estates & Facilities to the end of the blue railings opposite the rugby pitch. This is illustrated in our map of works (note that work dates have not been updated).

The following arrangements will be in place Friday 24 August - Friday 14 September:

For those driving onto campus:

  • Access is available through the Pepper Lane, Shinfield Road, Upper Redlands Road (via the Windsor Drive entrance), and the Foxhill Gateentrances.
  • Car park 7 will continue to be used by our contractors, which may limit the number of spaces available for staff. 
  • Access to car parks 1 and 1A will be available from the Shinfield Roadentrance.
  • Access to car parks 2-15 will be available through the Pepper Lane entrance.

Cyclists and pedestrians:

  • The public footpath which leads from Earley Gate through to Chancellor’s Way and Shinfield Road will remain open for both cyclists and pedestrians.
  • The Queen’s Drive footpath will remain open. 
  • Pedestrians and cyclists can also use the entrances at Upper Redlands Road (via the Windsor Drive entrance) and the Foxhill Gate to enter campus.
  • Diversions will be in place for cyclists around the works using the Queens Drivefootpath from the Estates and Facilities building to the end of the works for those entering campus from either the Pepper Lane or Shinfield Roadentrances.

Buses:

  • Claret 21 buses towards Reading town centre will be able to access campus via Pepper Lane, and so will call at the bus stop on Chancellors Way.
  • Claret 21 buses from Reading town centre will still not be able to access the campus – instead, buses will call at the stops at Christchurch Green and Shinfield Road, just to the south of the end of Chancellors Way. They will continue on to Pepper Lane as usual. 
  • Bus users should alight at these stops, walking onto campus from either Queen’s Drive, Chancellors Way or Pepper Lane.
  • Other routes – 3, 3B, 9 and 10 – can also be to and from the town centre from Christchurch Green and Shinfield Road. Please see the Claret route map for full details of nearby services, or the Reading Buses website for all routes.

Why are the works taking place?

The works will rebuild a collapsed and failed section of road, which was identified after the severe weather conditions earlier this year. Carrying out maintenance work now will ensure that the road remains safe for years to come. 

If there are any changes to the arrangements outlined above, we will share them on the staff portal. 

For queries, please contact Peter Edington (extension 7619).