Reading Buses has introduced timetable changes on several key routes from today, Monday 1 June, alongside a rise in the park and ride return fare. The adjustments affect the emerald 5, emerald 6/6a, orange 13/14, berry 23/24 and claret 21 services, with departure times moved to improve reliability. The claret 21 will now run up to every 20 minutes during the day from Monday to Saturday, a shift linked to the winding down of the university academic year.
The hospital park&ride 300 has gained a new stop at Whitley Park School in both directions, creating a direct link between Kennet Island, Circle Hospital, Whitley and the Royal Berkshire Hospital. The change means passengers can travel between those points without going through Central Reading. The promotional return fare on the park and ride has gone up from £3.50 to £4, a move Reading Buses says is down to alterations in Bus Service Improvement Partnership funding from HM Government, which is channelled through Reading Borough Council. No other fares are being increased. A spokesperson for Reading Buses said: “No other fares are being increased despite recent rises in fuel prices.”
Full details of the new schedules are available on the company’s website and mobile app. The operator, which marked 125 years of service in April, has recently deployed zero-emission electric buses on the yellow 26 and refreshed low-emission vehicles on the sky blue 15 and 16 routes.
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