United Kingdom, Reading

Reading is a town  in the English county of Berkshire. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, halfway between London and Oxford
 
Reading's location in the Thames Valley to the west of London means that it has always had a significant position in the nation's transport infrastructure. As described above, the town grew up as river port at the confluence of the Thames and Kennet. Today both of these rivers remain navigable, although such navigation is exclusively leisure oriented. The locks of Caversham Lock, Blake's Lock, County Lock, Fobney Lock and Southcote Lock are also all within the borough.

Reading is a major junction point on the national rail system, and as a consequence Reading station is a major transfer point as well as serving heavy originating and terminating traffic. The main route is the Great Western Main Line, which runs west from London's Paddington station before splitting in Reading with lines serving the West Country (Swindon, Bath, Bristol) and South Wales. Secondary lines connect Reading with London's Waterloo station, Guildford, Gatwick Airport, Birmingham, Basingstoke, Southampton and the South Coast. A railway-operated express bus service links Reading with Heathrow Airport.

Local transport is largely road based, with significant peak hour congestion in the borough. A comprehensive and frequent local bus network within the borough, and a less frequent network in the surrounding area, are provided by Reading Buses.