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<p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government launched the Roads Investment Strategy
on 1 December. The M4 Junction 3-12 smart motorway project to upgrade the M4 between
Reading and Heathrow continues to be progressed. This month the Highways Agency is
conducting a public consultation on the proposals, including exhibitions at 11 locations
in the Thames Valley.</p><p> </p><p>Construction of Crossrail is now more than half
completed and electrification of the Great Western Main Line is also under way. Electrification
of the Thames Valley branch lines, including the Slough to Windsor line, is approved
and will improve local connectivity.</p><p> </p><p>The transformation of Reading station
was completed on time and under budget as part of the £850 million Reading Station
Area Redevelopment programme and formally opened by Her Majesty The Queen on 17 July.</p><p>
</p><p>The programme to increase passenger capacity on the Reading and Windsor to
Waterloo railway by 25% is now under way and will be completed in early 2015. 60 additional
carriages are being incorporated into an extended and refurbished fleet of trains
to operate as a maximum 10 carriage train length.</p><p> </p><p>In July the Government
announced £94.6m to support local transport projects across Berkshire as part of the
Growth Deal with the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, in addition
to the £36.9m integrated transport block funding announced in March for the six Berkshire
local authorities, covering the period 2015/16 to 2020/21.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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