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Post by wirewiper on Aug 17, 2022 15:24:07 GMT
Reading Buses has announced bus service changes from Monday 5th September, a general fares increase will also come into effect from the same date.
The changes reflect altered travel patterns following the covid-19 pandemic, and also the final ending of Government funding that has in some form or other been supporting bus services since April 2020.
New timetables will appear on the Reading Buses website in due course.
Leopard 3 - revised times, although buses will still run every 20 minutes to Arborfield Green and hourly on to Wokingham during Monday-Saturday daytimes. One journey an hour will be rerouted through Thames Valley Science Park.
Leopard X3 - minor time changes to afternoon journeys
Emerald 5, 6 and 6a - new timetables, with the Monday-Saturday daytime service on routes 5 and 6 reduced to every 12 minutes on each route.
Tiger 7 - route withdrawn, replaced by an hourly extension of Mereoak Park & Ride 600 as far as Riseley (see below). No mention has been made of the service between Riseley and Fleet so this is presumably withdrawn permanently
Leopard 8 and 9 - routes mostly withdrawn. The service through Spencers Wood to Shinfield and Thames Valley Park will be replaced by an hourly extension of Mereoak Park & Ride 600 (see below) and by changes to Leopard 3 - see above. Route 9 will continue to operate between Reading Station and Whitley Wood only, via Royal Berkshire Hospital and Cressingham Road.
Sky blue 15 - revised times, and extended from Calcot IKEA to Arlington Business Park and/or Theale to create new commuter and shopping links. The Theale Green school route 88 will be renumbered 15 and incorporated into the revised timetable.
Pink 22, 25 and berry 23, 24 - revised timetables with some journeys withdrawn due to low usage.
Yellow 26 - revised timetable with peak time frequency restored to every 12 minutes after the Summer holiday period - daytime frequency remains at every 15 minutes.
Royal Blue 33 - minor timetable changes with reduced early morning service.
Mereoak Park & Ride 600 - the Monday-Saturday daytime frequency will be restored to every 15 minutes. One bus an hour (including evenings) will be extended to Riseley, and one bus an hour to Thames Valley Science Park via Spencers Wood and Shinfield. This will give faster journeys into Central Reading from the south, using the bus priority measures along the A33.
Fares
Single fares will increase by 10p-20p, and return fares by up to 30p - the standard adult single fares in the Greater Reading area will be £2.30 on-bus (£2.20 app) and the all-day ticket will be £4.50 on-bus (£4.30 app). The Lower Caversham, special offer and South Reading discounted fares will continue at £1.20, £1.50 and £2.00 respectively on-bus. Period tickets and Easysaver multi-ride tickets will also be adjusted.
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Post by wirewiper on Aug 22, 2022 16:19:20 GMT
Reading Buses is once again running its shuttle services for the Reading Festival. This year the services commence on Wednesday 24th for early arrivals and operate through to the afternoon of Monday 29th August. A temporary "Bus Station" is set up in the grounds of Rivermead Leisure Centre, adjacent to the Festival Red Entrance/Exit (the Leisure Centre itself is closed from Thursday to Monday). The services this year are pretty much the same as previous years, including 2019 and 2021. Route 98 operates from Reading Station (North Interchange, stop ND) to Rivermead. There is a continuous service through Sunday night/Monday morning after the Festival ends, with frequent departures between 21.00 and 00.40 and again from 04.00 to 12.00. Last bus leaves the Festival site at 14.00. Route 97 operates from Rivermead into Reading Town Centre, calling at Friar Street stop FH outside Sainsbury's. A limited service operates on the Wednesday from 12.00 to 21.00, the service then operates from Thursday through to Sunday, between around 09.00 and midnight each day. There is no service on the Monday. Both services have a flat fare of £1 per passenger, per journey. The buses will have fareboxes so drivers will not give change, but multiple fares can be paid for using a banknote. Contactless is also accepted. www.reading-buses.co.uk/festival
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2022 20:29:05 GMT
Reading Buses has announced bus service changes from Monday 5th September, a general fares increase will also come into effect from the same date. The changes reflect altered travel patterns following the covid-19 pandemic, and also the final ending of Government funding that has in some form or other been supporting bus services since April 2020. New timetables will appear on the Reading Buses website in due course. Leopard 3 - revised times, although buses will still run every 20 minutes to Arborfield Green and hourly on to Wokingham during Monday-Saturday daytimes. One journey an hour will be rerouted through Thames Valley Science Park. Leopard X3 - minor time changes to afternoon journeys Emerald 5, 6 and 6a - new timetables, with the Monday-Saturday daytime service on routes 5 and 6 reduced to every 12 minutes on each route. Tiger 7 - route withdrawn, replaced by an hourly extension of Mereoak Park & Ride 600 as far as Riseley (see below). No mention has been made of the service between Riseley and Fleet so this is presumably withdrawn permanently Leopard 8 and 9 - routes mostly withdrawn. The service through Spencers Wood to Shinfield and Thames Valley Park will be replaced by an hourly extension of Mereoak Park & Ride 600 (see below) and by changes to Leopard 3 - see above. Route 9 will continue to operate between Reading Station and Whitley Wood only, via Royal Berkshire Hospital and Cressingham Road. Sky blue 15 - revised times, and extended from Calcot IKEA to Arlington Business Park and/or Theale to create new commuter and shopping links. The Theale Green school route 88 will be renumbered 15 and incorporated into the revised timetable. Pink 22, 25 and berry 23, 24 - revised timetables with some journeys withdrawn due to low usage. Yellow 26 - revised timetable with peak time frequency restored to every 12 minutes after the Summer holiday period - daytime frequency remains at every 15 minutes. Royal Blue 33 - minor timetable changes with reduced early morning service. Mereoak Park & Ride 600 - the Monday-Saturday daytime frequency will be restored to every 15 minutes. One bus an hour (including evenings) will be extended to Riseley, and one bus an hour to Thames Valley Science Park via Spencers Wood and Shinfield. This will give faster journeys into Central Reading from the south, using the bus priority measures along the A33. Fares
Single fares will increase by 10p-20p, and return fares by up to 30p - the standard adult single fares in the Greater Reading area will be £2.30 on-bus (£2.20 app) and the all-day ticket will be £4.50 on-bus (£4.30 app). The Lower Caversham, special offer and South Reading discounted fares will continue at £1.20, £1.50 and £2.00 respectively on-bus. Period tickets and Easysaver multi-ride tickets will also be adjusted. The timetables are now online: www.reading-buses.co.uk/timetable-change-5-september
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 15, 2022 6:42:11 GMT
Reading Buses, Thames Valley Buses and Newbury & District will all be running to Sunday timetables on the Holiday Monday, 19th September. Claret 21 will have extra journeys for students arriving for Reading University's Welcome Week.
Green Line route 702 is suffering severe disruption due to delays and road closures in London, along the A4/M4, and in Windsor. Thames Valley Buses routes are also being delayed and diverted in the Windsor area.
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 16, 2022 11:08:00 GMT
Reading Buses, Thames Valley Buses and Newbury & District will all be running to Sunday timetables on the Holiday Monday, 19th September. Claret 21 will have extra journeys for students arriving for Reading University's Welcome Week. Green Line route 702 is suffering severe disruption due to delays and road closures in London, along the A4/M4, and in Windsor. Thames Valley Buses routes are also being delayed and diverted in the Windsor area. Reading Buses has now announced that Green Line 702 will not operate at all on Monday 19th September, due to the large number of road closures in London and Windsor and Legoland being closed that day. 703 will run but is likely to experience severe disruption.
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 26, 2022 10:07:20 GMT
Green line 702 has a temporary timetable from today (Monday 26th September) due to the roadworks in Hammersmith. There is no change to the route or frequency, but buses are being given more time to complete the journey. The previous timetable will be restored when the roadworks are completed, scheduled for mid-December. www.reading-buses.co.uk/temporary-timetable-green-line-702
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 27, 2022 10:08:42 GMT
Not previously reported is that West Berkshire Council once again paid for free travel, this time to mark World Car Free Day on Thursday 22nd September.
Unlike previously, passengers boarding in West Berkshire and travelling into Reading Borough could obtain a (free) return ticket, which they scanned when boarding to get free travel on the return journey too. Other passengers boarding in Reading Borough had to pay the single fare to the West Berkshire boundary, but the return trip back into Reading was free.
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 30, 2022 17:28:51 GMT
Lime 2 has a significant diversion during the daytime next week, due to a road closure in Burghfield. Between around 09.00 and 15.30 from Monday 3rd - Friday 7th October buses will operate non-stop from Reading Town Centre to Mortimer Common via the A33, buses will then operate round Burghfield Common via Reading Road, Recreation Road, Clayhill Road, Hawksworth Road and Reading Road back to Mortimer. Bath Road and Burghfield Road will not be served at these times. Peak time and evening buses (including journeys to AWE Tadley) will not be diverted but some times will be altered. www.reading-buses.co.uk/lime-2-daytime-diversion
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Post by wirewiper on Oct 3, 2022 8:50:00 GMT
A few bits of vehicle news from August and September:
BYD/ADL Enviro400 City EV demonstrator LC71 EFD was on loan from 5th to 20th September and was given temporary fleetnumber 1002. It was used in service on route 17 from 9th-17th September and on the morning of the 20th.
Alexander Dennis Enviro200 LK58 CSX, originally a Metroline vehicle and latterly with Thomas of Rhondda, has been acquired as a driver trainer and is numbered 314. It will retain its London red livery for the time being.
Open-top Trident 502 was loaned to Cardiff Bus from 22nd July and returned on 23rd September.
ADL Enviro400 MMC 788 has transferred to Newbury & District for additional West Berkshire school contract work from 5th September. It reatins its Jet Black livery for use as a spare.
Former Courtney Buses Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse 451, 454 and 457 have been withdrawn and are in store at Reading pending disposal. Coaches 1407 and 1409 are also in store whilst 1420 has returned to Dawson Rentals with 1419 to follow in October.
Scania K270UB/ADL Enviro300 GS 415 has been repainted out of its livery for the tiger 7 route (which no longer exists) into the current "orbits" version of pink for routes 22/25. Pink 416 will also be repainted into "orbits".
Thames Valley Buses continued to have vehicles on short-term loan from Reading Buses during August, with generic ADL Enviro400 MMC 758 and 759 both included. The loans ended when 759 returned on 26th August.
Info courtesy of Bus Zone Forum, Google groups.
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Post by wirewiper on Oct 25, 2022 10:35:56 GMT
Reading Buses has minor changes from Monday 31st October: Route 9: new timetable to improve reliability. Orange 13: minor changes to on morning and one afternoon journey on Mondays to Fridays to match better the school day at Bulmershe. Thames Valley Buses has a number of route and timetable changes in Maidenhead, Slough and Windsor, effective from Sunday 30th October: Route 2 (Slough-Dedworth): between Slough and Windsor this service will be diverted to operate via Datchet in both directions, giving Datchet hourly links to both towns. In Dedworth buses will divert via Wolf Lane and Foster Avenue as a partial replacement for route 16A which is being withdrawn. Route 3 (Maidenhead-Farmers Way): route amended, will now be a one-way circular route taking in Maidenhead Hospital. Route 7 (Maidenhead-Woodlands Park): new timetable, with better morning and afternoon connections with faster trains to and from London. Route 8 (Halifax Way-Boulters Lock): revised to operate between Maidenhead Town Centre and Boulters Lock only. Route 9 (Maidenhead-Cranbrook Way): revised to operate via Camley Gardens, Farm Road and Belmont Road as a replacement for the section of route 8 which is being withdrawn. Route 10A (Slough-Churchmead School): withdrawn, passengers can use revised route 2 instead Route 15 (Slough-Maidenhead): withdrawn between Eton Wick and Maidenhead due to low passenger numbers, Eton Wick to Slough increased to hourly. Route 16/16A (St Mark's Hospital-Windsor): Revised to operate as route 16 between Maidenhead Town Centre and Windsor, with a simplified route and timetable offering faster and more direct journeys between Maidenhead and Windsor. - Will no longer operate to and from St Mark's Hospital in Maidenhead, use revised routes 3 and 9. School journeys will continue to operate to/from Newlands School. - Will no longer operate via Holyport, route 53 provides an alternative to and from Maidenhead. - The route will follow the current 16A route between Fifield Road and Dedworth, via Fifield and Oakley Green. - Will no longer operate via Wolf Lane and Foster Avenue in Dedworth, these roads will be served by the amended route 2. Route 53 (Maidenhead-Bracknell): diverted in Holyport at off-peak times and on Saturdays via Stroud Farm Road as a partial replacement for the 16/16A. Routes 234/235/238/239 (Maidenhead rurals): minor changes to times to improve reliability. Morning 234 no longer serves Woodlands Park and the afternoon 235 will operate as a 234. www.thamesvalleybuses.com/changes-timetable-maidenhead-and-slough-windsor
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Post by wirewiper on Nov 3, 2022 19:02:12 GMT
A former Reading Buses Wright Streetlite RX12 DZA is currently working for Devon operator Dartline. It is route branded for Rail Link service 118 which connects Tavistock and Lydford with Okehampton Station, although it is seen here operating a Tiverton town route. flic.kr/p/2nWAVuoRX12 DZA was originally Reading Buses 156 and wass the last of six which entered service between February and April 2012. It was the dedicated bus for route 142 (Reading-Checkendon) which was operated on behalf of Oxfordhsire County Council and was the only one fitted with a cash tray as opposed to an exact-fare vault. The whole batch was part-exchanged in 2013 for five door-forward versions which offered additional capacity, and 156 passed on to Buses Excetera. flic.kr/p/bZEBWoflic.kr/p/2jLh7yQ
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Post by wirewiper on Nov 4, 2022 9:52:15 GMT
<snip> Similar Scania 413, previously a Caversham pink routes bus, has received an overall wrap displaying the Reading University Climate Stripes, highlighting the impact of climate change on temperatures in Berkshire over the last 100 years, It returned to service on 25th July and is now considered to be a generic bus, operating on any route. <snip> 413 was used in a photoshoot and forms the backdrop to Reading Football Club's official first team squad photo for 2022-2023. Professor Ed Hawkins of Reading University, who designed the climate stripes, was also present as were representatives from Reading Buses and Reading Borough Council. The photoshoot will be used to launch Reading Borough Council's 'Climate Change Awareness Month', which will begin on 7th November. The Reading FC home strip for this season incorporates the climate stripes into the sleeves of the shirt. www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/Pictures%20for%20226/Reading%20Buses/RFC_Team_Photo_201022%20Reading.jpg
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Post by wirewiper on Nov 6, 2022 9:34:54 GMT
A few bits of vehicle news from October:
Scania K270UB/ADL Enviro300 GS 416 and 417 have both been repainted into pink "orbits" livery for routes 22/25, joining 415.
Scania K270UB/ADL Enviro300 GS for lime route 2 are also gaining a new "orbits" version of the livery, with 431 and 432 432 and 433 away for repaint. EDITED
ADL Enviro200 MMC 680 is on loan to Thames Valley Buses, gas-powered Optare Solo 182 is expected to be used more regularly for service in Reading.
ADL Enviro200 MMC 667 (TVB) was destroyed in the Slough Bus Station fire on 29th October and will be written off. Similar 671 and 677, as well as ADL Enviro400 MMC 757 (Reading Buses) which were all outstationed in Slough at the time were also fire-damaged but are all expected to be repaired.
Former 24-26 (Scania/Irizar), which were sold to Midland Classic, have been returned to Reading for storage by their current owners Diamond Bus East Midlands (Rotala) pending a decision on their future. Apparently 21-23 will not return. These vehicles were originally ordered for the Newbury Vodafone services and were stood down in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic. The current Vodafone service requires far fewer vehicles as many Vodafone staff are still working from home.
A new coach at Newbury and District is Volvo B11R / Plaxton Panther 3 ME69 MPT, fleet number 1421, C49Ft acquired through Odyssey (dealer) ex MP Travel. 1419 has returned to Dawson Rentals following the end of a school contract in July. 1402 is also due to be withdrawn (replaced by 1421).
Information courtesy of Bus Zone Forum (Google groups)
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Post by wirewiper on Nov 12, 2022 17:39:50 GMT
Reading Buses has published outline details of the services that will be operating over Christmas and New Year. The arrangements will be mostly in line with what has operated in previous years, but notably a service will operate on Christmas Day between Heathrow Airport and Slough as route 703X. Christmas Eve, Saturday 24th December: Saturday timetables but with most routes finishing around 20.00. Routes 5, 6, 17, 21 and 26 will have a limited late evening service until around 24.00 and route 703 will operate hourly between Heathrow Airport T5 and Slough between 21.00 and 24.00. Christmas Day, Sunday 25th December: no services, apart from a limited service between Heathrow Airport T5 and Slough operating as service 703X. Boxing Day, Monday 26th December: special services between around 09.00 and 18,00, operating generally to Sunday frequencies. Holiday Tuesday 27th December: Sunday timetables (24-hour routes 5, 6, 17, 21 & 26 commence from 03.50), plus full football bus service for the Reading v. Swansea game (kick-off at 17.15) Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th December: Saturday timetables New Year's Eve, Saturday 31st December: normal Saturday service, including full evening service and 24-hour service after midnight on routes 5, 6, 17, 21 and 26. The night service on route 17 is enhanced to every 15 minutes between midnight and 02.30. New Year's Day, Sunday 1st January: normal Sunday service including early morning journeys on 24-hour routes 5, 6, 17, 21 and 26. Holiday Monday 2nd January: Sunday timetables Normal services operate from Tuesday 3rd January. www.reading-buses.co.uk/christmas-service-level-summary
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Post by wirewiper on Nov 17, 2022 18:08:51 GMT
West Berkshire Council is once again offering free bus travel, this time it is for Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas and it starts this Saturday, 19th November.
Anyone boarding a Newbury & District or Reading Buses service in the West Berkshire Council area does not pay, but will be given a ticket by the driver which will allow the return journey to be made for free as well. This includes any journey into the Reading Borough Council area.
Passengers boarding in the Reading Borough Council area will not get free travel into West Berkshire, but will only need to pay a single fare as the journey back from West Berkshire will be free.
Concessionary Pass Holders and holders of period tickets still need to scan their passes as normal, in order to match the journeys correctly and determine how successful the promotion has been.
The free travel offer applies on all Newbury & District services, and on Reading Buses services 1, 2, 15, 16, 26 and 33 when the journey commences in West Berkshire.
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