of the footbridge. Future In June 2021, Great Western Railway submitted plans for a redevelopment of the station, that would see the ticket gates brought inside, new business units, a new multistorey car park, and a second bicycle parking station. Description Station layout The current station has two through platforms, both on loops off the main line, leaving two through tracks running through the middle of the station. There is also a bay platform on the north east side for short trains to and from Reading. These parts of the station layout have all survived from the expansion of the station in 1908. The platform access was converted to entry by ticket through automatic barriers early in 2013. The north (Up) platform has provision for trains to call in either direction. This facility is not frequently used in the current timetable except during periods of severe line congestion to avoid delays, however, it was not uncommon for Down trains to call on this platform in the past. The signalling also allows for the station to continue operating when the south (Down) platform is closed for any reason. To the east of the station there is a siding on the Up line. It is still commonly used for storing engineering units. Local services sometimes use it to allow passengers wishing to travel to intervening stations to connect from inter-city services. Also to the east of the station, on the Down line is a loop which also runs through Newbury Racecourse railway station which is used regularly as a passing point by freight trains and also by local services in the same way as the sidings on the north side. This loop is also used by local services calling at Newbury Racecourse during race days. Special chartered trains hauled by steam locomotives often use the loop to take on water because it has good road access although the Down platform in Newbury station can also be used for this purpose. All trains that pass through the loop must continue through the loop for the Down platform to rejoin the mainline. The station is now signalled with colour light signals controlled from Thames Valley Signalling Centre in Didcot. Station facilities Newbury station is operated by Great Western Railway. The station's facilities include a staffed ticket office open on weekdays and weekends; car parks on both sides of the station; covered bicycle storage; taxi