Council steps in to subsidise buses

James Kell • Published 11 Dec 2009 11:13 3 Comments

VITAL bus services in Woodley and Earley have been given a reprieve following an emergency meeting last night.

Wokingham Borough Council executive approved a one-year subsidy for routes that link Woodley to Reading via the Royal Berks, routes that link Woodley Airfield to the Town Centre and routes between Lower Earley and Caversham.

The routes were in jeopardy under plans by current provider Reading Buses to make cutbacks to services in January, but the proposals had met with public outcry.

A deal, estimated to be worth around £20,000, will now be finalised with another commercial operator as part of a full tendering process early next year and council leader David Lee said: "We can't afford to subsidise all bus services, that's not possible, but's important that we are able to step in at this time and it indicates why we have to make difficult decisions in other areas because we have a commitment to the most vulnerable people."

More details and reaction to the decision in next week's Reading Chronicle.

Tweet

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  Mr W
  Unregistered User
  Dec 14, 18:16
  Report comment

  For the first time in a while, there is some positive news for Reading Buses, and the people of Woodley and Earley, yet this story has been here since the 11th and nobody has commented? Maybe it's only the negative's the people of Reading are interested in?.....
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  sam
  Unregistered User
  Dec 14, 20:29
  Report comment

  That and Danyl bloody Johnson! This does sound like good news bu****hink most of the people who use these buses aren't exactly the savviest of net users...
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Mrs Bus passenger
  Unregistered User
  Dec 14, 22:06
  Report comment

  What was the point of leaving a comment any way when they knew this what was going to happen at the meeting before they had it.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle