PASSENGERS and commuters have been giving their verdicts this week on the huge changes coming at Reading Station.

Major work starts this Christmas, when the station will be closed for 11 days except for a few services on New Year's Eve and the following weekend.

Network Rail has engaged in a frantic round of word-spreading, setting up shop outside the station and in the Town Hall to educate people about the upgrade and the disruption to come.

Robbie Burns, major project director, told an audience at the Town Hall last week: "I hope I can convince you that the project is worth the pain.

"It's a truly apolitical scheme. Everybody wants it."

Reading East MP Rob Wilson noted the new southern station entrance is no longer set to become an "iconic" building, which Mr Burns acknowledged.

Mr Burns said: "Taxpayers might have a very strong view about it. It was going to be a lot of money which we couldn't justify. It might not be iconic but it will be 100 times better than it is now."

Reading Borough Council transport boss Pat Baxter said there was still a bid in for £25m for a grander version of the station entrance, which got planning permission last September.

She said: "We are reserving the area around the station for an upgrade. It remains our ambition to deliver a much more appropriate, world-class entrance."

Passengers at the station were examining the proposals closely.

Raymond Barrett, 64, from south Reading, said: "I'm impressed, it looks ok, it looks futuristic. I remember when The Three Guineas was the Station, so this is the second big change. It's about time they did something about it."

James Winney, 20, from Caversham Heights, works at the Oakford Social Club outside the station.

He said: "I was really interested in the new designs having heard a little about the changes that are coming. It looks good, a definite improvement. I use the trains a lot to go into London so hopefully this will mean better services."

Stephen King, 50, who works for Wokingham Borough Council, travels daily to Wokingham from Reading.

He said: "I'm very excited by the new developments. I think it will be a benefit to commuters in Reading.

"I understand there might be some disruption but there would be for any improvement project. As long as they tell us about what will happen in advance, it is understandable that there may be delays. I realise the complexities of the project."

Civil servant Andy Ellis, 49, who lives and works in Reading, said: "I'm concerned about disruptions, as someone who has to walk around Reading quite a bit. It's not clear how much the construction will affect walking under the Caversham Bridge, which I do everyday.

"I think once all the work is completed, it will improve the transportation system."

Channah Mace, 31, works in tele-sales in Reading and lives in Maidenhead.

She said: "Reading's pretty busy already, so improving the train system could only be a good thing. My only concern is what would happen to the city centre while they're building the new lines.

"I often get delayed when I take the train, so if the changes help improve the delays, it will be a positive development.

"If they put more lines in, it will be great because, the way it is now, if there's problems on one line then everything is delayed.

"While they're building the new lines and the construction is happening, it will cause lots of disruption. I'd like some guarantee that there's not going to be an unreasonable level of disruption."