Reading Borough Council has been swift to act after Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly announced that councils could sell off public assets on the cheap. Reading Chief Executive Tricia Haines has announced a ground breaking deal to sell Reading lock, stock and barrel to the people who designed the one way IDR, Peter Brett Associates for £1.

"Why not? For years they've been sending us their 'crazy' ideas which has saved the Council a hell of a lot of time and effort trying to screw things up ourselves. They own most of the town already: Thames Valley Park, Green Park, Kennet Valley Park. Junction 11, Reading City Transport 2020 and the One Way IDR are all their work so we're confident that we've done the right thing," she told us. "Irate drivers late for work after being stopped by PBA 'researchers' will already know that they have the Police working for them. We've been rubber stamping their schemes for years, so I can't see any change to most citizens. And with Labour expected to lose power next year, something had to be done to protect PBA profits from the vagaries of the ballot box."