Free bus travel on selected dates in the run up to Christmas is set to be approved next week.
Approval is set to be given for the introduction of free bus travel from bus stops in Wokingham Borough on all local bus services operated by Reading Buses, Thames Valley Buses and Carousel Buses (850).
The initiative, which was also in place during the same period in 2023, will be fully funded using grant funding from the Department for Transport (DfT).
Wokingham Borough council has said the cost to provide free travel on all identified dates is £59,948, which will be fully funded by grant funding from the Department for Transport.
The grant funding can only be spent on improvements to local bus services within a limited timeframe.
To encourage the use of local bus services and reduce traffic on local roads in the run up to Christmas, it is proposed to make use of DfT Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding.
The funding will be used to provide free bus travel from local bus stops within Wokingham Borough on selected Saturdays and Sundays.
Free bus travel is offered at a time when the cost of living and household expenditure is highest.
The notes to the agenda for the meeting said the proposal will allow residents to shop locally, supporting local businesses in villages, on high streets and in town centres.
The proposal will be extended to specific bus services on two Sundays to further support local community events. Encouraging local bus travel also has positive outcomes for local air quality and the climate emergency.
The proposed free travel days are Saturday, November 16, Saturday, November 23, Sunday, November 24 (Lion 4/X4 only for Wokingham Extravaganza), Saturday, November 30, Sunday, December 1, (Orange 13/14 & 850 for Woodley Winter Carnival), Saturday, December 7, Saturday, December 14, and Saturday, December 21.
Reading Buses, Thames Valley Buses and Carousel Buses will allow passengers to board the bus free of charge from any local bus stop within Wokingham Borough on those dates. The operators will be reimbursed a fixed amount to cover the revenue loss for these days using grant funding from the DfT.
For anyone visiting the borough and therefore not a resident of Wokingham Borough, free travel will only be provided in one direction, unless an equivalent scheme is operating in the area where passengers board.
For residents who wish to travel outside of the borough, usual fares will apply for the return journey, unless an equivalent scheme is operating in the area where passengers board for the return journey.
Free travel will not extend to services which are not local bus services, for example park and ride services or football specials. Free travel will not be provided on any other operator’s service during these dates.
Wokingham Borough Council said the proposal has been designed around typically the busiest shopping days in the run up to Christmas, supporting footfall to town centres.
The addition of the two Sundays aims to support two specific community events, Wokingham Winter Carnival, and Woodley Winter Extravaganza.
A similar approach was carried out for Christmas 2023, and it was successful. Thames Valley Buses saw an increase in patronage of almost 40% on their Saturday services.
By repeating the free travel for a second year, Wokingham Borough Council is hopeful it will encourage more residents to give the bus a go, and remind occasional users that the bus is an alternative travel option.
This year Carousel will also participate in the offer giving residents in Wargrave, Twyford and Charvil an opportunity to use the 850 service.
Since September the 850 has been operating every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays.
The decision is set to be made on Monday, November 4.
