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Post by snoggle on Aug 1, 2018 12:47:21 GMT
Interesting that people are moaning about the cutbacks without realising that in many other parts of the Thames Valley region they wouldn't have a bus at all. They're especially lucky to be retaining a Sunday service albeit an infrequent one. At least Reading Buses are prepared to explain why they're doing what they're doing. No one stands up and explains anything in London.
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Post by sid on Aug 1, 2018 13:15:02 GMT
Interesting that people are moaning about the cutbacks without realising that in many other parts of the Thames Valley region they wouldn't have a bus at all. They're especially lucky to be retaining a Sunday service albeit an infrequent one. At least Reading Buses are prepared to explain why they're doing what they're doing. No one stands up and explains anything in London. Is it any different to people moaning about cutbacks in London when a in other parts of the home counties they wouldn't have a bus at all? Surely the cuts in Reading are for the same reasons as in London, ie insufficient usage?
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Post by snoggle on Aug 1, 2018 14:38:37 GMT
Interesting that people are moaning about the cutbacks without realising that in many other parts of the Thames Valley region they wouldn't have a bus at all. They're especially lucky to be retaining a Sunday service albeit an infrequent one. At least Reading Buses are prepared to explain why they're doing what they're doing. No one stands up and explains anything in London. Is it any different to people moaning about cutbacks in London when a in other parts of the home counties they wouldn't have a bus at all? Surely the cuts in Reading are for the same reasons as in London, ie insufficient usage? I'd argue it is different from London. London's network remains heavily subsidised. Reading's does not. Mr Gilbert clearly states Reading Buses have to be self sustaining. No one is saying that about London and we'd be in a vastly different situation if they were as you'd be talking about removing £500m worth of cost / raising £500m extra revenue or a blend of the two to achieve the same overall outcome of financial breakeven or modest surplus. I have acknowledged on here countless times that London is very well provided for overall. However there are pockets of Greater London without Sunday buses at all - often in fairly well to do places where demand is low anyway [1]. Looking at the line of Reading route 25 on Google earth / streetview it seems to serve very well to do, semi rural areas with lots of detached / semi detached houses most of which have more than one car in the driveway. A half hourly double decker route M-S (hourly on Suns) is a good service level for such relatively poor bus territory. Plenty of equivalent places in the UK don't have a regular bus at all, just a schools time trip and maybe a return off peak journey on market day to the nearest town. To me it is no great surprise that even Reading Buses are strugging in such poor territory. The fact they are keeping a service going, albeit a reduced one, says more about Reading Buses's view of life than anything about the problems we face in London. Reading Buses have diagnosed their problems in Reading and stated them publicly. Mr Gilbert is the recognisable public "I'm in charge" face of Reading Buses. I doubt anyone knows who is the "public face" of London Buses these days. Do we even have one who is prepared to go "out front" rather than just add their name to press releases? We have no such clear diagnosis from TfL - all we get is "we don't understand what's happening". A phrase that is worthy of a cheesy sci-fi film not a transport organisation that is attempting to sell itself on a commercial basis to other countries. [1] parts of Barnet, Kingston, Sutton, Croydon, Bromley boroughs
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Post by busaholic on Aug 1, 2018 18:17:16 GMT
Interesting that people are moaning about the cutbacks without realising that in many other parts of the Thames Valley region they wouldn't have a bus at all. They're especially lucky to be retaining a Sunday service albeit an infrequent one. At least Reading Buses are prepared to explain why they're doing what they're doing. No one stands up and explains anything in London. Is it any different to people moaning about cutbacks in London when a in other parts of the home counties they wouldn't have a bus at all? Surely the cuts in Reading are for the same reasons as in London, ie insufficient usage? From my reading, the cuts are due to a combination of lower usage and traffic congestion, the latter implying that scheduled journey times will be increased, leading to revised headways. On some of these routes no mention is made of disappointing usage.
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 2, 2018 7:45:19 GMT
>>> Mr Gilbert is the recognisable public "I'm in charge" face of Reading Buses. <<<
Until tomorrow, that is! Friday 3rd August is his last day with Reading Buses before he heads up to Go North East.
His successor is Robert Williams who is currently with Stagecoach South West. Mr Williams was born and raised in Reading and whilst a student worked part-time as a conductor on the infamous "Reading Mainline" routemaster operation.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2018 16:07:45 GMT
Here’s a link to a Tweet showing the Henley Solo in its new livery.
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 24, 2018 15:58:34 GMT
At least two of the previously all-white ADL Enviro200s, 132 and 134 131, have been painted into the orange version of Reading's latest livery style in readiness for the timetable and service changes on Monday 3rd September.
They will be used on the reinstated 19a, 19b and 19c routes which will be branded "little oranges". The 19a and 19c are supported by Wokingham Borough Council (who, following a consultation, have increased the funding available) and will supersede the 12 which replaced these routes only last September. Reading Buses will operate these under contract. The 19b is commercial, as before, and will replace the Central Reading - Lower Earley section of route 22.
The 983 school service will be operated by Horseman Coaches from September so the route will not be dovetailed into the 19a/19c timetable as it was previously.
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 25, 2018 8:32:58 GMT
Here is a full list of the changes from Monday 3rd September: There are no changes to jetblack 1, lime 2/2a, X3, lion 4/X4, 9, orange 13/14, claret 21, lower caversham shuttle 27/29, buzz 42, Winnersh Triangle 500 or Greenwave routes. - leopard 3/3b/10/10a: new timetables. Route 10 will be rerouted via Thames Valley Science Park between 07.00 and 19.00 on Mondays to Saturdays, replacing route 10a which will be withdrawn. - emerald 5: temporary Summer Timetable withdrawn and previous timetable reinstated, with Monday-Saturday daytime frequency restored to every 8 minutes. - emerald 6/6a: new timetables. Monday-Saturday daytime frequency on 6 reduced from every 8 to every 10 minutes but 8-minute frequency retained at peak times. - tiger 7: New branding for the Reading-Fleet route. New Monday-Saturday daytime timetable to improve reliability. Through journeys to and from Fleet rerouted in Riseley via Odiham Road. - bronze 11: new Sunday timetable with daytime frequency reduced from every 20 to every 30 minutes (no changes Monday-Saturday) - orange 12: route withdrawn, replaced by little oranges 19a/19c. - sky blue 15/15a/16: Minor timetable changes. 15 rerouted in Calcot via Royal Avenue and Garston Crescent, restoring a regular bus service to Royal Estate after a gap of several years. - purple 17: new timetable, with a slight reduction of the Monday-Saturday daytime frequency from every 7 to every 7-8 minutes (8 minutes Saturdays) - little oranges 19a/19b/19c: the former "nineteens" are reinstated after a year's absence, partly due to improved funding from Wokingham Borough Council. Routes 19a and 19c replace route 12 and are Reading-Woodley-Earley circulars (19a anticlockwise and 19c clockwise) and are operated under contract to Wokingham Borough Council. Route 19b operates between Central Reading and Lower Earley and replaces this section of route 22. Each route operates hourly Monday-Saturday daytimes. These routes will use 25-seat Enviro200s 131-134, two of which have already appeared in an orange version of the latest Reading Buses livery style. - pink 22: Withdrawn between Central Reading (Friar Street) and Lower Earley; this section is replaced by little oranges 19b. New timetable, with an hourly frequency on Mondays-Saturdays (including evenings) with additional journeys at peak times. Sunday daytime frequency reduced from hourly to 2-hourly. Interworked with pink 25. - berry 23/24: officially rebranded (from pink), although some of the refurbished and repainted ex-purple 17 Enviro400s have already been in use for some time now. New timetables with the Monday-Saturday daytime frequency on each route reduced from every 20 to every 30 minutes and the Sunday daytime frequency reduced from every 30 minutes to hourly. - pink 25: new timetable. The Monday-Saturday daytime frequency reduced from every 30 minutes to hourly, with additional journeys at peak times. Sunday frequency reduced from hourly to 2-hourly. Interworked with pink 22. - yellow 26: new timetable. Monday-Saturday daytime frequency reduced from every 10 to every 12 minutes but 10-minute frequency retained at peak times. - royal blue 33: minor timetable changes only. All the new timetables are here: www.reading-buses.co.uk/timetable-change-monday-3-septemberThere are also a number of changes to the Silverstars school bus services, details here: www.reading-buses.co.uk/schools
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 15, 2018 9:06:09 GMT
A few updates:
It has been reported on the LondonsTransport Yahoo group (Bus News, 15th September), that Reading Buses has bought out Weavaway's Newbury & District bus services effective from Friday 14th September. So far there is no official announcement on the Reading Buses or Newbury & District websites.
There are a few timetable changes, mostly minor, from Monday 24th September affecting the Greenwave routes and route 9.
Also a reminder that Reading Transport Ltd. takes over operation of National Express route 925 (Heathrow Airport - Woking Station) from this Monday, 17th September. Coaches and drivers will be part of the Thames Valley Buses operation based in Slough.
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 22, 2018 7:15:51 GMT
A few updates: It has been reported on the LondonsTransport Yahoo group (Bus News, 15th September), that Reading Buses has bought out Weavaway's Newbury & District bus services effective from Friday 14th September. So far there is no official announcement on the Reading Buses or Newbury & District websites. As I hadn't read any more about the takeover I did wonder whether it had actually taken place, or someone had got the wrong end of the stick. However it has now been reported in the trade journal 'Bus and Coach Week' and also in the local press. This week's 'Bus News' (22nd September) reports that a total of 24 vehicles (23 buses and one coach) are involved in the sale. Newbury & District services continue unchanged for now, but will be integrated with Reading Buses' 'Kennections' services in the Newbury area. The vehicles acquired are: - five ADL Enviro200 B39F varying in age from 2-5 years old - six Optare Solo B33F, originally new to Blackpool Transport - twelve ADL Enviro400 H49/37F all new in March 2016 - one Volvo B8R/Caetano/Levante C48Ft coach, new in August 2015 to Galloway, Mendlesham and currently in allover white livery. Reading Buses also has on loan two Mercedes Benz OC500RF/Caetano Levante C49Ft in allover white livery.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2018 17:10:40 GMT
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Post by SILENCED on Sept 24, 2018 17:52:31 GMT
A Yorkshire Tiger wannabe??
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 24, 2018 18:18:26 GMT
414 was the last remaining vehicle in "scarlet 9" livery, although it lost the route branding some time ago. At one time the 9 ran up to every ten minutes - seems hard to believe now, but until recently it was the main route along Shinfield Road. It was eclipsed when Thames Travel withdrew the 144 and Reading Buses replaced it with "leopard 3" in June 2014. It is possible that another vehicle may also emerge in Tiger livery soon, maybe 415 which was also a scarlet 9 vehicle originally but is currently in generic silver/grey. Meanwhile, the two ex-Stagecoach ALX400-bodied Tridents that came with the route are being refurbished, 536 has already emerged in generic livery and 537 is due to follow soon. There is also an unconfirmed report that ADL/Enviro200 654 has been repainted from generic into "little oranges" livery. EDIT: Confirmed.
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 29, 2018 10:03:25 GMT
Some observations from yesterday (Friday 28th September):
- Scania/ADL Enviro300 414 resplendent in its shiny brand-new "Tiger" colours for the rebranding of route 7. Which of course made it the ideal vehicle for the 16.45 Reading-Mortimer Common lime 2a journey.
- Enviro200 134 retains allover white livery - I gather that 654 was painted in "little oranges" livery in preference to 134 as a couple of journeys at school times need extra capacity. 134 was on route 9 and seems to be the regular vehicle now for the route, which is not currently branded.
- Gas-powered Solo 185 on route 5 to Northumberland Avenue (yes, really!). Seemed to be out all afternoon.
- Purple route 17-liveried Scania/ADL Enviro400 City operating route 22 to Caversham Heights during the evening peak.
- Ex-Arrival London VDL-DB250/Wright Gemini (generic livery) on route 4 to Bracknell during the evening peak.
- A white Mercedes minibus (BU64 MWM, no fleet number or fleetname) operating the 12.40 "little oranges" route 19a journey to Woodley (departed Reading Station 8 minutes late).
- Scania/ADL Enviro300 435 (generic livery) on route 26 to Calcot during the afternoon. This is the ex-Scania/ADL Gas Bus demonstrator acquired by Reading Buses and carries Select Registration BU52 GAS. It features high-backed seats in dark green leather with off-white piping - so extra comfort for the passengers that actually got a seat. It tends to appear more on the Greenwave routes.
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Post by wirewiper on Oct 24, 2018 11:32:18 GMT
Reading Buses is making minor timetable changes to tiger 7 and little oranges 19a/b/c from Monday 29th October to improve punctuality.
There are also some changes to 7-day and 30-day tickets bought online or via the Reading Buses app, and some changes to m-ticket prices. There are no changes to on-bus prices.
From the same date, Thames Valley Buses route 5 (Slough-Chippenham) will operate commercially, although Slough Borough Council will still provide a small amount of funding to support part of the route within Chippenham. There will be a new timetable with an extra early morning journey. The adult fare will increase to £2.50 and the child fare to £1.90 - although the child fare will be brought into the "Boost" scheme and will be available to anyone under 19, and also to students of East Berkshire and Uxbridge Colleges aged 19-21 if they show their College ID. "Boost" will only apply on route 5 and not to the evening 4, the Sunday 6 or Green Line 702/703.
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