The return of a much-loved bus service has been hailed by campaigners as “a massive victory”, writes Kathryn Barden.
Earlier this week, Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) announced that the 19a/c bus route will be reintroduced in eight weeks’ time.
The bus route was axed by Reading Buses last September and replaced by the 12 route while a long-term solution was sought. The bus company said that rising costs forced its decision.
Over the past year, councillors have been working to restore the services. A public meeting was organised by Reading East MP Matt Rodda, while Wokingham Borough Council held a consultation, inviting Woodley and Earley residents to talk about their travel patterns and their hopes for the future of the services.
WBC’s acting executive member for highways and transport Cllr Anthony Pollock said that the decision to allocate the new 19a/c contract to Reading Buses came “following extensive consultation with our residents”.
“A creative approach [has been used] to secure a cost effective solution for our communities,” he added.
Bulmershe and Whitegates Labour councillor, Andy Croy, said: “I am delighted for the residents. This is a massive victory for the locals [who were] perplexed by the Tories cutting the service in the first place.”
Cllr Croy said the Conservatives have put the residents “through anguish and anger” and said that if he were in charge he would have “never have cut the service” as he believes that the hourly journeys into Reading are invaluable to the local residents.
Liberal Democrat councillor for Hawkedon, Clive Jones, welcomed the return of the 19a/c route saying that it is “really good news”.
“It will be very beneficial [for the community]”, he added. “It never should have been taken away.
“This council love cutting services… libraries for example, and bus services”.
When the service was withdrawn last year, two Whitegates residents, Shirley Boyt and Angie Burnish, organised a petition and campaigned against the revised service.
The pair said that such was the strength of feeling at the public meeting, the council was left with no alternative but to review the service and invite bus companies to tender for the route.
In a statement, Ms Burnish said: “We are delighted to have this bus running again it is a victory for the residents – people power has prevailed.”
And in the same statement Ms Boyt said that she couldn’t wait to tell people who signed the petition that the 19a/c would soon be running again.
“Isn’t it puzzling that they [Wokingham Borough Council] couldn’t afford it last year and yet now they can? What has changed?
“Might it have something to do with losing a council seat to Labour in Whitegates ward in the recent elections?”
The new service will launch on Monday, September 3 with journey times from Culver Lane to Royal Berkshire Hospital expected to take 15 minutes; hourly buses will run to and from Reading.
Reading Buses were contacted for a comment.
This week’s Wokingham Paper mistakenly reported that Cllr Jones was ward member for Maiden Erlegh. We apologise for this error.
