An opposition councillor has claimed Reading Borough Council’s arms-length bus company is ‘making a loss’

Councillor David Stevens, speaking at Monday night’s Policy committee, said increased congestion in the town has ‘slowed the bus company down and helped it to make a loss’.

The information came from the first item of the meeting: ‘Reading Transport Limited – Shareholder Report’, held in private due to exempt information.

A Reading Buses spokesman said: “It is no secret that last year was a difficult one for many reasons, congestion being the main culprit.

"We will be publishing our financial reports in due course in line with our normal, legal requirements.”

Cllr Stevens revealed the information when commenting on the increase in funds that will be generated from the council’s council tax base, partly as a result of housing growth in Reading.

He said it was ironic that, as the number of properties in the town grows the council generates more income from council tax and congestion in the town increases which ‘slows the bus company down and helps it to make a loss’.

The Conservative councillor's comments caused some disapproval from councillors who reminded him that he was discussing confidential information, to which the Thames ward councillor shrugged.

Reading Buses recently won £1.5m in funding to bring its fleet ‘up to the latest green standards’.