Update: Reading Borough Council commits to looking to see what can be done to maintain a bus service

Dear Reading Bus 22 supported,

Please see below a summary of the public meeting held on Monday as shared by MP Matt Rodda.

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Reading Borough Council commits to looking to see what can be done to maintain a bus service on the 22 Route

I wanted to update you on the outcome of the public meeting on the Pink 22 Bus Route, which was held last night. I’m pleased to report that Reading Borough Council's lead member for transport made a commitment to try to find a way to allow a bus service to continue on the route served by the 22.

Commitment from the council

Cllr John Ennis, the lead member for transport said “we haven’t given up on the 22."

He let the meeting know that the council has not given up on the possibility of still providing a service on the 22 route and it is in active discussions with Reading Buses to try to find a solution. He told us that the council is currently investigating an option with Reading Buses that could allow some form of service to continue, but which would not require ongoing revenue support from the council. He explained that this proposal is in the early stages of development, however, in light of the rapidly approaching date on which the 22 route is due to close, he assured us that the council is working at pace to understand if this option could be viable.

I believe this is a significant step forward in the campaign to keep the 22, and I want to thank Cllr Ennis for his work on this and for listening to residents about this important local issue.

I would like to thank all those who attended the public meeting I arranged on the No 22 Bus, this expressed the support for the bus route, and I am pleased that Reading Borough Council has offered to see what more can be done to save the route. Bus services are very important and provide transport for elderly and disabled people, young people and commuters.

Background on the financial problems facing Reading Buses

During the meeting we heard that Reading Buses is under financial pressure and has recently made a loss.

Robert Williams, the CEO of the bus company explained that the company faces rising fuel costs and falling passenger numbers on some routes, including the 22 where passenger numbers have halved since the pandemic. As a result of this difficult financial situation the company has increased fares, and it has been forced to close four routes across the Reading area.

These planned route closures include the 22, other services also due to close include one in Earley and the service to Twyford.

As you may know, the problems faced by the 22 may have been made worse as it also faces stiff competition from the X40 Oxford Bus Company service, with X40 buses sometimes arriving at the same bus stops as the 22 but just before the 22 bus arrives. In addition, the X40 has also offered lower fares than the 22.

These cheaper tickets may be easier for Oxford Bus Company to provide as it is part of a much larger commercial company than Reading Buses, which is owned by Reading Borough Council.

Thank you for attending the meeting and for your interest in this issue

It was important to discuss bus services and I was pleased that the public meeting was so well attended, I would like to thank all those who attended or watched the live stream.

Around 140 people attended the meeting.

The meeting was held at Highdown School Hall as it was the only hall in the area with enough space to accommodate this number of people.

The meeting was paid for by Parliament and was a public meeting, not a party political one.

The meeting was also live streamed for those who could not attend in person after discussion with residents.

Former councillor Jane Standford Beale MBE chaired the meeting.

Reading Buses CEO, Robert Williams, the managing director of the Oxford Bus Company, Luke Marion, and Cllr John Ennis from Reading Borough Council all attended and spoke about the pressures on services from falling passenger numbers since the pandemic and rising fuel cost and their efforts to continue services.

The X40 Oxford Bus Company service also provides a bus service through Caversham Heights and the Oxford Bus Company was asked about its competitive practice of offering cheaper fares and providing buses which arrive at the same stops as the 22 but just before 22 route buses arrive.

At the meeting residents formed break out groups to discuss the issues and the importance of bus services and these then reported back.

Local councillors were also offered the opportunity to speak about the bus service.

Letting residents have their say

My team is collating comments made at the meeting last night, and I would like to thank residents for making a series of suggestions to help increase bus use, these included altering routes, for example to try to include a wider area within Caversham Heights into the 22 route; offering a wider range of tickets and a number of other suggestions.

We are planning to circulate these points and to continue the discussion about bus services.