Should Reading be renamed to "Reading Central"?

[RobShipway]

Does the OP also propose a change at nearby Worthing?

I am not proposing the change of any station, but yes if you change Reading station to be Reading Central, you would then need to be changing Worthing to Worthing Central on the same basis.

 

[The exile]

Although General doesn't really emphasise the importance of a centrally located station to most passengers than a "Central" suffix.

That is also the advantage. Reading General is reasonably central but Cambridge isn’t.

 

[zwk500]

I am not proposing the change of any station, but yes if you change Reading station to be Reading Central, you would then need to be changing Worthing to Worthing Central on the same basis.

'need' is relative - Reading is both a reasonably significant destination and interchange. Worthing is neither.

 

[The exile]

I am not proposing the change of any station, but yes if you change Reading station to be Reading Central, you would then need to be changing Worthing to Worthing Central on the same basis.

Probably only a subjective opinion, but the potential for confusion seems less when the geographical specifier comes first (as at Worthing)

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Reading is both a reasonably significant destination and interchange

This is a further argument for no change of name being necessary.

Neither of the other nominally Reading stations have long distance services - surely virtually no one on a train calling at Green Park or West would be unaware of the great big station a few minutes further up the line, what with them having boarded their local train somewhere not a huge distance away from Reading? Whether they're aiming to go to Reading or change there onto another service, they'll know which station they want.

 

[zwk500]

This is a further argument for no change of name being necessary.

Neither of the other nominally Reading stations have long distance services - surely virtually no one on a train calling at Green Park or West would be unaware of the great big station a few minutes further up the line, what with them having boarded their local train somewhere not a huge distance away from Reading? Whether they're aiming to go to Reading or change there onto another service, they'll know which station they want.

Indeed, especially as 'Reading' will appear first in an alphabetised search return on a journey planner. If you're heading to Reading as an unfamiliar visitor, you'll naturally head to the station that's just 'Reading' unless specifically told by your client/colleague/relative to use a different station.
My personal preference would be to always have a differentiator, but the justification for changing the name now is very weak.

 

[mangyiscute]

I think the fact that every train that calls at either Reading West or Reading Green Park also calls at Reading massively reduces the confusion, since passengers will clearly know that Reading station is also a thing - considering most people will have in their head "i'm going to reading station", if they are on the train stopping at reading west, then it will have also said "this train is for reading" or stuff like that so its harder to get confused. I have travelled in and out of reading for many years and never seen anyone have an issue - the stations are so vastly different in sizes that the only people who use reading west are those who know about it

 

[Falcon1200]

Is there any proven need for a renaming? ie are there regularly passengers alighting at Reading West who actually wanted Reading? I would suggest that because, as @mangyiscute says, the only trains calling at Reading West are local services, almost certainly not!

 

[David Goddard]

Is there any proven need for a renaming? ie are there regularly passengers alighting at Reading West who actually wanted Reading?

Only the fare dodgers wanting a free ride, but that will end when the new entrances open at Reading West

 

[MarkyT]

If a station name consists solely of the town/city name, I'm always going to assume it's the 'main' station for that settlement with the best connections to other services and modes and access to the main commercial area, whether or not there are other stations nearby with the town name prefixed or suffixed by an additional geographic, locality, road name or other descriptor. I can't think of an example where this would not be the case. Hence 'Main', 'Central', 'General' etc are superfluous in my mind. More difficult for a stranger arriving in a particular town is when the 'main' station has an ambiguous qualifier, such as Bristol Temple Meads, Edinburgh Waverley etc. and there are other stations nearby also with the town name in it.

 

[crablab]

Only the fare dodgers wanting a free ride, but that will end when the new entrances open at Reading West

Reading West is within the Reading Group, so tickets to Reading are valid to/from Reading West for interchange purposes.
And you will note there is no price differential for a ticket bought to/from Reading, Reading West or Reading Group.

 

[zwk500]

Reading West is within the Reading Group, so tickets to Reading are valid to/from Reading West for interchange purposes.
And you will note there is no price differential for a ticket bought to/from Reading, Reading West or Reading Group.

But presumably a ticket from Reading to Reading west is £5?

 

[crablab]

But presumably a ticket from Reading to Reading west is £5?

£2.30. But the utility of fare evading that single journey is somewhat moot I would say, since Reading itself is very much barriered the majority of the time.

And, if you had an (open) ticket from Reading there is validity within the group for interchange, so there's an argument to say you can start or end your journey at any other station in the group.

 

[mangyiscute]

£2.30. But the utility of fare evading that single journey is somewhat moot I would say, since Reading itself is very much barriered the majority of the time.

And, if you had an (open) ticket from Reading there is validity within the group for interchange, so there's an argument to say you can start or end your journey at any other station in the group.

You want it to be of some value to stop people from travelling from somewhere far away to Reading and just buying a Reading West to Reading ticket to get through the barriers. I highly doubt there's many people doing that journey besides from those taking further trains, since when going to the town centre it would almost always be better to walk or bus since it would get you closer to your destination and they're way more frequent.

 

[stuu]

No, I don't think there is any need to change it. It's a clear name on it's own, and the other stations are very minor in comparison and as they aren't served by long distance services people are very unlikely to get confused.

On the other hand, when I commuted to Bristol Temple Meads on XC, I was asked very regularly if it was the main station. There would be more of a case for losing the suffix there than adding one at Reading

 

[David Goddard]

Reading West is within the Reading Group, so tickets to Reading are valid to/from Reading West for interchange purposes.
And you will note there is no price differential for a ticket bought to/from Reading, Reading West or Reading Group.

My point was regarding those who buy no ticket at all (coming in from Bramley, Mortimer, Midgham etc), who then bail out at Reading West and just walk the rest, saving them the whole fare. Nothing to do with price differentials

 

[crablab]

My point was regarding those who buy no ticket at all (coming in from Bramley, Mortimer, Midgham etc)

Ah I see, understood

 

[WAO]

The wealthier outlying districts would doubtless prefer one of the following:

Wokingham Road
Mapledurham
Silchester North
Sonning West

The tension between local party politicians was the cause of the adoption of unitary authorities instead of a Berkshire County Coucil, protecting leafy suburbs from Socialism as well as preventing privatisation of Reading Buses etc.

WAO