Bus users in Whitley are being asked for their feedback on the way buses should run.
Plans have been drawn up by Reading Buses, working with the Whitley Big Local project, for the future running of buses around Whitley to connect more places in the local area.
The proposals, due to take effect from September, have been drawn up following comprehensive research work undertaken by the lottery funded ‘Whitley Big Local’ project.
Working with the University of Reading, the project questioned large numbers of people in the local area to find out what they needed to help them use public transport.
The findings of the research have informed the plans as many residents reported that they wanted a cross-Whitley service to go to more places in the local area as well as needing a direct bus to the hospital.
Reading Buses, who are seeking feedback by Monday June 13, say the proposed change of route of the scarlet 9 reflects the findings of the report and should better serve the local area.
The main proposal concerns scarlet 9 being re-routed to run along Cressingham Road, Buckland Road and Basingstoke Road. It will then run via Whitley Wood Lane and Whitley Wood Road before turning left onto Hartland Road and right onto Northumberland Avenue. From there it will turn right back onto Cressingham Road and then left back onto Shinfield Road to return to Reading town centre.
This route would mean that the bus will visit all major points of interest in the area, such as the Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl stores and Whitley Community Café, and will link many more parts of Whitley directly with the hospital.
Reading Buses say scarlet 9 will continue to run every 30 minutes, but that the detailed timetable is still being worked on.
The X9 service to Shinfield Park would become the X3 and permanently part of the ‘leopard family.’
Along the Shinfield Road the leopard will increase in frequency to every 15 minutes to cover the change to the scarlet 9 route. This will include a new leopard 10 route which will run down Shinfield Road to Spencer’s Wood to provide a bus for new developments in that area.
There are no changes planned to emerald 5 and 6 outside of minor timetable tweaks.
Said Martijn Gilbert, Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer: “This project really is unique. I don’t recall any other project that has such qualitative academic research to inform the policy on individual routes like this.
“The research has shown that the people of Whitley have a great many needs from their public transport and hopefully this proposal ticks most of those boxes. We have been privileged to work with the project to better understand the needs of the community in Whitley.”
Said John Ord, ‘Big Local Rep’: “You can do a lot more if you’re mobile – it’s easier to go to more places, shop better, get to the hospital or school and take the kids out.
“This is what Whitley residents said they wanted when Whitley Community Development Association and the University of Reading asked them about transport. We talked to Reading Buses, they listened and they now plan to make the changes.”
Feedback can be emailed to feedback@reading-buses.co.uk or comments can be made using leaflets that will be at the Whitley Community Café on Northumberland Avenue.