Reading - Good/Bad parts of town?

[Tim in Belgium]

There's a possibility that I may be partially moving to Reading for a period of approx 6-9 months, and will be looking for some furnished flat/house to rent.

So what are the good/bad parts of town for living in?

And what are the good areas for entertainment/bars/restaurants?

What is the rush hour traffic like, how easy is it to get across town etc?

Anything else I need to think about?

[AndyBrad]

It has a festival. Thats all i know

[Sally]

It has a festival. Thats all i know

Ditto. :stupid:

[LankyIanB]

It's been rather a long time since I lived that way, so can't really help on the Good/Bad bits. However unless there's been some kind of socio-ecomonic-evolutionary miracle, avoid Whitley...

It's a university town, summer evenings, head for the town centre pubs and enjoy the moving scenery!

Rush hour traffic can be awful, there are three main issues

1) A crap one way system
2) The IDR - a ring road that isn't...
3) A lack of bridges over the thames - if your commute involves these then be prepared for traffic jams.

Do you know where you'll be working? Reading is quite a big place which sprawls from Tilehurst in the west to Winnnersh (almost Wokingham) in the east. There are a few business parks on the outskirts of Reading, if you're going to be in one of these then you may want to base yourself conveniantly for them. You don't want to have to go through the centre in the mornings coz you live one side and work the other...

Ian

[Tim in Belgium]

Work would be on the south side of town, near the M4/A327, not far from junction 11.

Thanks for the above info.

[benji106]

I live in Shinfield about 5 mins from J11, avoid Whitley/Whitley Wood, Caversham is nice but would be a nightmare commute because you would have to cross the river. Rush hour traffic can be quite bad out of town, the A33 can get a bit jammed up, genreally the M4 westbound is not to bad in the mornings but Eastbound into London is often pretty snarled up. There are a few nice villages on the other side of the M4 but its a little more Rural. Lower Earley is mainly residentail, not spent much time there but think its ok.

[Tim in Belgium]

Would cycling through town be do-able?

[the_lone_wolf]

Would cycling through town be do-able?

Depends...

Reckon you could outrun this lot?


http://www.penguinsix.com/images/chav.jpg

;)

[Tim in Belgium]

Easy ;)

[SoulKiss]

Depends...

Reckon you could outrun this lot?


http://www.penguinsix.com/images/chav.jpg

;)

Isn't that Viney somewhere in that lot? :p

Best part of Reading? The NSL sign just after the "You are now leaving Reading" sign...

[Stig]

I live in Shinfield about 5 mins from J11, avoid Whitley/Whitley Wood, Caversham is nice but would be a nightmare commute because you would have to cross the river. Rush hour traffic can be quite bad out of town, the A33 can get a bit jammed up, genreally the M4 westbound is not to bad in the mornings but Eastbound into London is often pretty snarled up. There are a few nice villages on the other side of the M4 but its a little more Rural. Lower Earley is mainly residentail, not spent much time there but think its ok.

I work in Reading and lived there for a short period. I agree with everything that has been said. I lived in a house share on a new estate up by Foster Wheeler. It's just off the B3270/A327 roundabout. There are quite a few houses in that new estate which are run by professional letting agents. It's quiet and nice. North of the River is nice but the traffic is bad, mind you, if your on a bike then you can negate 90% of the traffic problems. Since the new road works have been more or less completed, Junction 11 East bound seems to be much improved. Having said that, I start work earlier than the average and am already in work by 7.30 so don't really hit the rush hour traffic properly. Match days when Reading are playing at home can be a mare and same when the Reading Festival is on.

[Tim in Belgium]

Thanks again for more info.