Residents in the suburbs of Reading have called for better bus services in the area, particularly to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
Bus services were recently discussed at a Woodley Town Council meeting, where councillors received a presentation from MyJourney, which organises transport in Wokingham Borough.
During the meeting, councillor David Bragg (Conservative, Coronation Central), mentioned bus services running between Earley and Woodley and the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
These are the Reading Buses ‘little orange’ services, which include the 19a, 19b and 19c buses.
While cllr Bragg praised these services, he argued that they are infrequent.
He said: “If someone’s got an appointment at the hospital at 10.30am, they’ve got to catch the 9am bus to be able to get there in time for their 10.30am appointment.
“So, they’re sat in the hospital twiddling their thumbs, waiting, and then the same coming back.
Ideally, these buses should be every half an hour.”
These arguments have been echoed by a resident commenting on Facebook, who is eager to see improved bus access to and from the hospital.
Andrew David Long said: “As a Lower Earley resident and frequent bus user, I would query whether Earley has great services.
“Yes, there is a frequent service along the Wokingham Road (4/4a) and also along Rushey Way (21), but neither go to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
“If you live at the bottom end of Lower Earley, there is an hourly 19b between ASDA and Reading via the Royal Berkshire Hospital, but it doesn’t run on Sundays.
“You can get to Woodley from Earley if you don’t mind walking to the bottom end of Silverdale Road to catch 19a.
“The Number 17 stops at the Reading/Earley boundary.”
The call for more frequent buses comes as Reading Buses periodically makes adjustments to its routes.
The last change to routes and timetables took place in September.
While the preferred site for a new Royal Berkshire Hospital is at Thames Valley Park, near the meeting point of Earley and Woodley, is expected to start between 2037 and 2039, more than a decade away.
Wokingham Borough Council does not currently have any bus lanes, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request published in October 2021.
An inbound bus lane in London Road was established by Reading Borough Council last August to speed up journeys.
There are also discussions about more frequent buses to Twyford station, which provides Great Western Railway and Elizabeth Line trains into London.
There have been complaints about the car park for Twyford station becoming full.
Commenting on Facebook, Jane Michelle said: “It would be great to have a bus from Winnersh Triangle Station, onto and around the airfield and Woodley town centre, up around Bulmershe, onto the A4, then down into Twyford and up to the station.
“It would certainly help with station car parking and give a lot more access to people for these stations.
“I think that would help in the morning weekday commute as well as weekend visitors to London.”
Woodley and Earley town councils are in discussions with MyJourney for improved bus services.
