Reading Borough Council’s planning committee has nodded through proposals for viaducts and box junctions, which will create a raised railway along a 2km stretch of the Great Western mainline.
Bill Henry, director of Network Rail’s improvement scheme at Reading said: “We’re delighted that Reading Borough Council has given the green light for the development of the viaduct.
“The council staff and members – especially Tony Page, lead councillor for planning and transport – have been hugely supportive.
“As passengers will be well aware, there is a problem with a bottleneck on the railway at Reading and the viaduct is the main part of the solution in fixing this.
“It will stop slow freight trains from delaying faster, mainline services which will use the viaduct, while the freight trains will pass underneath the structure.
“When the viaduct is finished in 2015 it will also allow Network Rail to replace Cow Lane bridge north, bringing another wider, safer bridge with two lanes of traffic, a footpath and cycle lane.
“We’ve already engaged with local residents and businesses about the viaduct but will be contacting them again before construction work begins in January 2013 so they know what to expect.”