READING’S buses are due to receive more than £26 million of funding over the next three years – although the change in government could delay the plans which include more bus lanes such as converting a lane of London Road from Suttons Seeds to Cemetery Junction, in a bid to tackle congestion.
A meeting of Reading Borough Council’s Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport Committee on Thursday, July 7, heard that the grant would help deliver on the national bus strategy.
Its aims include improving services including introducing more frequent services on key routes, similar to the way in which the 17 route operates.
Also in the plan is cheaper fares, support for services deemed ‘socially necessary’ such as connecting areas of inequality to employment, education and training.
There would be ‘hundreds of miles’ of more bus lanes used 24 hours a day, and plans to expand bus rapid transit schemes ‘to deliver light rail style services at a fraction of the cost’.
Bus gates could be used, with a presumption of a no on-street parking zone on bus corridors.
And there would be a fleet of 4,000 zero emission buses.
Reading’s funding is divided into two parcels: £15,939,000 would be for capital projects and £10,324,600 for grant funding.
Capital schemes under consideration include:
• Oxford Road from Eaton Place to George Street; outbound bus lane benefitting routes 15/15a,16,17 and 143
• Oxford Road from Pangbourne Street to Norcot; provision of outbound bus lane instead of the current inbound bus lane to benefit routes 16,17,143
• Bath Road from Circuit Lane to Tesco garage/Granville Road; outbound bus lane benefitting routes 1,2/2a
• Southampton Street from Pell Street to the Oracle roundabout; inbound bus lane benefitting routes 5,6/6a,11
• London Road from Borough boundary to Cemetery Junction (Amity Road); inbound bus lane benefitting routes 13,14,127,400/500,850, TVP shuttle and RailAir coach
• London Road from before Sidmouth Street to London Street; inbound bus lane and relocated existing outbound bus lane benefitting routes; 3,8,9,19’s,21,21a
• Future phases of the South MRT scheme and enhancements to the Mereoak P&R site, building on phases 1-4 which have currently been delivered.
Other options include converting traffic lights to be bus-friendly, building green bus shelters, boosting town centre public transport infrastructure, and reviewing real-time displays to meet the disability discrimination act.
Service enhancements include extending the 42 route from Rivermead to Tilehurst, a new Park and Ride from Mereoak to serve the Royal Berkshire Hospital and the University, improvements to the South Reading 9 route, and updates to bus safety and the website.
And in good news for passengers, one of the Department of Transport’s priorities is delivering ‘ambitious and eye-catching initiatives that reduce fares’.
The report considered by the committee noted: “Discussions are on-going with the main bus operators in Reading regarding a proposed fares reduction scheme which would offer ‘Greater Reading Day tickets’ at the prices to be agreed with the operators.”
Cllr Tony Page, introducing the report, said the council was delighted with the allocation, and officers were now working hard to develop the comprehensive plan so it could be actioned.
“While £26 million is welcome, the original bid was close to £100 million,” he told the committee, adding that this was better than other local authorities who will not receive any funding.
“We are looking at bus improvement plan to benefit Reading and within the greater Reading area to enhance services and help people outside of the borough to make use of buses,” he continued, pointing out that if the funding is approved in September, it had to be spent over three years, but half of this financial year will have already gone, so it was really for two-and-a-half years.
“In most cases, cyclists will be able to use bus lanes,” Cllr Page added. “They are not as good as segregated lanes, but shared use is preferential to no facility at all.”
