A brand-new route which will link areas previously without a bus is shortly to be introduced by Reading Buses.
They have announced that their new Buzz 18 will provide an all-day seven days a week service which in particular will offer a link between Tilehurst, Kentwood, Portman Road, central Reading and the Forbury.
Financed by Reading Borough Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) within funding from HM Government, Buzz 18 will also create a brand-new connection between Rivermead Leisure Centre and Tilehurst.
The new route, which starts on April 2, will follow the existing Buzz 42 route – which Buzz 18 replaces – between Kenavon Drive and central Reading.
From Central Reading Buzz 18 will then continue towards the Rivermead Leisure Centre – using the stop at the future site of the River Academy – before continuing under the Cow Lane Bridge to Portman Road and Kentwood before finishing at Tilehurst Triangle.
Buses will run approximately every 40 minutes all day Monday to Saturday between Kenavon Drive, central Reading and Tilehurst Triangle and hourly on Sundays.
Additional morning and evening journeys Monday to Friday between central Reading and Kenavon Drive will run as Buzz 18a to provide a service up to every 20 minutes finishing at St Mary’s Butts.All buses on both Buzz 18 and 18a will be full size single deckers powered by compressed natural gas which emit 55% less emissions than a diesel bus with a similar type of engine.
Robert Williams, Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer, said today: “We are delighted to continue our association with Reading Borough Council to provide the new Buzz 18 service which will go hand-in-hand with the recently enhanced Buzz 9 and to be expanding the number of biomethane fuelled buses in our fleet.
“Both routes will be operated by super clean biomethane buses with new Buzz branding to easily identify them to customers.
“It is great to have a new link between Tilehurst, Kentwood and Portman Road and of course be able to offer plenty of affordable fares which will have a £2 maximum fare cap.”