Reading rescues residents as operator withdraws

Reading Buses is to divert a route to serve villages loosing their bus after an operator pulls out of serving them.

Binfield Heath and Dunsden Green will be served by Reading Buses after Carousel Buses announced their withdrawal from the area weeks after Arriva ended operation there.

From 2 September, four to five journeys a day on Reading Buses’ new aqua 28 route between Reading and Henley-on-Thames will divert to serve the two villages following a tendering process undertaken by Oxfordshire County Council.

There are other minor changes to the overall aqua 28 timetable, but these are just to take into account these new diverted journeys as well as generally improve timekeeping.

“We are aware that bus users in these areas have had a difficult time, and are pleased to be working with Oxfordshire County Council to help maintain services to these communities” – Robert Williams, Chief Executive Officer

Robert Williams, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are aware that bus users in these areas have had a difficult time, and are pleased to be working with Oxfordshire County Council to help maintain services to these communities. We have tried to replicate the existing times as far as our aqua 28 timetable will allow, and hope that this won’t cause too much inconvenience to the rest of our customers who are already flocking to the service in droves. We also hope that these journeys are used and welcome feedback from residents as to timings that work better for the community.”

The Reading Buses aqua 28 service uses bio-methane fuelled buses.