Key figures from Wokingham met in Westminster on Tuesday to tackle parking at Twyford station — a busy stop for fast trains to London where demand has risen with new housing and the Elizabeth Line.
The minister of state for transport, Lord Hendy, met Wokingham’s MP Clive Jones and Highways spokesperson Cllr Adrian Betteridge on 25 February, joined by senior reps from the Department for Transport, Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail.
Many residents want hundreds more spaces. GWR is pursuing a scheme to add 50 spaces by redeveloping a former coal yard next to the station. The proposal is expected to be submitted this year, aiming for government funding and delivery in 2027.
Clive Jones welcomed the plan, saying it was a 'good first step' to ease parking pressures, but warned it won’t fully solve the problem for commuters or nearby residents.
Cllr Adrian Betteridge backed the need for more parking and said the council and GWR are working on longer-term options. He also highlighted the need to improve the station forecourt and access by bus, on foot and by bicycle.
Campaigner Leon Cook said:
"We welcome any update on discussions that are taking place about parking at Twyford station.
"The potential option for 50 additional spaces on the former coal yard site is not new. Wokingham Borough residents are demanding a solution that would deliver significantly more additional parking spaces.
"Only this will tackle the problems faced by commuters and those living close to the railway station."
Clive Jones MP said:
"I’m grateful to the Minister for having this meeting with Cllr Adrian Betteridge and I, and for taking the concerns of many constituents that rely on Twyford Station seriously.
"This was a very constructive meeting, but demand for parking in Twyford is an issue now, not just in five years’ time.
"I will continue working with the Council, GWR and the Department for Transport to ensure our community gets the investment it needs to future-proof Twyford Station."
Labour leader Rachel Burgess said:
"Allocating 50 car parking spaces is a first step in addressing a much wider transport challenge.
"What residents now need is a clear, properly funded strategy from the Council that prioritises sustainable, accessible travel.
"I look forward to hearing how the Council intends to deliver meaningful improvements to bus services, cycling infrastructure, and safe walking routes.
"Both Woodley and Wokingham urgently need high-quality, direct, and safe routes to Twyford."
Conservative leader Pauline Jorgensen said:
"The purpose of the Conservative motion for additional parking at Twyford Station was to ensure that the LibDem run Council looked at all options.
"This announcement makes no mention of any evaluation of options outside of GWR or Network Rail jurisdiction.
"Solutions for nearby parking outside of station owned land can be evaluated by the Council itself. This is within their gift, and they could action this immediately.
"We challenged the LibDem run Council to look carefully at all possible solutions.
"A failure to do so would let down commuters across Wokingham Borough and Twyford residents, particularly those impacted by the current lack of parking."
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
