Reading Buses have seen a number of stops cancelled after badly parked cars have prevented the service from accessing certain roads.

The Reading Chronicle has looked into the issue after seeing daily problems with routes.

Roads which have seen the most issues include Wensley Road West, The Drive, Whitegates Lane, Coley Park, Garston Crescent and Silverdale Road.

A spokesperson from Reading Buses said: "Alongside roadworks and general traffic, badly parked cars are a real issue for the running of our network.

"This can range from people double parking, to trying to fit into spaces that are too small for their cars and leaving the vehicle sticking out into the road.

"Obviously we want to make sure that our buses can pass vehicles safely and have to divert our services if we can’t get through, sometimes leaving quite large areas without access to a bus service until the owner of the vehicle can be tracked down by the police.

"This severely affects the most vulnerable of our customers who may not have the ability to get to and from the diverted route."

Reading Buses have stated they have regular issues on bronze 11 in Coley Park.

Other routes suffering include sky blue 16 in Purley and little orange 19a/19c in Eastcourt Avenue.

Issues with cars parking in bus stop laybys on Wokingham Road by the shops at Palmer Park Avenue and Whitley Street have also been noted as an issue, and can cause a "significant hazard".

"We would ask that all drivers think about how they park, especially when on roads that buses run down," the spokesperson continued. 

"When the bus stop is blocked, it is not possible for us to get a customer in a wheelchair onto the kerb.

"When the road is blocked, people can’t get to their destinations, and the emergency services are also unlikely to be able to reach the area."