Transport Service Changes or Disruption
Planned public transport changes, disruption information and contacting operators
On this page:
- Disruption to local rail services
- 3 month fare cap for local buses
- Other Public Transport Services
- Travel Guidance and Face Coverings
- Services on Bank Holidays and During Travel Disruption
- Contacting Local Bus and Train Operators
Disruption to rail journeys in West Berkshire
Improvement works will be taking place on the railway line between Reading and Westbury from Saturday 18 February to Thursday 2 March 2023.
Rail replacement buses will be running during this time, further information can be found on the GWR website.
Public buses are also available:
- Jet Black 1 runs every 30 minutes for most of the day between Newbury and Reading via Thatcham, A4 and Theale on Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sunday.
- Route 3 runs between Newbury and Hungerford at regular intervals on during the day on Monday to Saturday.
Information on all local public bus services can be found here.
Three month fare cap for bus journeys
You may have heard the Government's announcements that a three month fare cap has been introduced across most bus services in England.
The council is pleased to announce that bus journeys across West Berkshire will capped at £2 for a single journey and £4 for a return journey between the 1 January 2023 and the 31 March 2023.
Its intention is to provide affordable bus travel for millions across England and you can travel any time of day. The scheme forms part of the Government's Help for Households campaign, as the new cap can deliver real savings for those most affected by the rising cost of living.
So why not use the bus to get to work, go shopping, attend an appointment, go for a bite to eat in the local eateries, take in some of the outstanding scenery, or meet friends and family.
The scheme forms part of the Government's Help for Households campaign, as the new cap can deliver real savings for those most affected by the rising cost of living.
This fare cap builds on the allocation of more than £2 billion to support bus services in England through the pandemic and a commitment to fund improved services, new bus priority measures and new electric or hydrogen buses as part of the ambitious National Bus Strategy, published in 2021.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "By helping passengers outside London save almost a third off the average single bus ticket and taking two million cars off the road, the £2 bus fare cap is a fantastic way to start the new year. Buses are a key part of our vision for a clean, efficient and modern transport network that is affordable for everyone. That's why we're investing £60 million to encourage everyone to hop on the bus and 'Get Around for £2' ".
The fare cap will be applied on the following routes across the district
Route | Operator | Destination |
---|---|---|
Jet Black 1 | Reading Buses | Newbury to Reading Town Centre |
1a, 1c, 1d | Newbury & District | Newbury to Thatcham |
2 | Newbury & District | Newbury to Wash Common/Pigeons Farm |
2 (Stagecoach) | Stagecoach South | Basingstoke to Tadley/Baughurst |
Lime 2 and 2a | Reading Buses | Mortimer to Reading Town Centre |
3 | Newbury & District | Newbury to Hungerford |
4 | Newbury & District | Newbury to Lambourn |
5, 5a, 5c | WBC Connect | Newbury to Downlands Villages |
6 & 6a | Newbury & District | Newbury to The Ilsleys |
7 | Stagecoach South | Newbury to Andover |
7a | Stagecoach South | Newbury to Burghclere via Penwood, Woolton Hill & Ball Hill |
8 | Newbury & District | Newbury to Greenham/Tesco |
9 | Newbury & District | Newbury to Racecourse Development |
15 | Reading Buses | Reading Town Centre to IKEA |
16 | Reading Buses | Reading Town Centre to Purley On Thames |
20, X22 | Swindon's Bus Company | Hungerford to Marlborough |
26 | Reading Buses | Reading Town Centre to Calcot |
33 | Reading Buses | Reading Town Centre to Turnham's Farm |
41 | WBC Connect | Thatcham to Theale |
44 | WBC Connect | Thatcham to Beenham/Calcot via Tadley |
46, 46a, 48 | Stagecoach West | Hungerford to Swindon |
47 | WBC Connect | Lambourn to Swindon |
103 | Newbury & District | Newbury to Greenham Business Park |
143 | Thames Travel | Reading Town Centre to Pangbourne, Upper Basildon and Goring |
The LINK | Stagecoach South | Newbury to Basingstoke |
Other services may be taking part.
The full list of operators known to be taking part across England can be found on the Government's website.
Other Public Transport Services
National Express are running coach services. See the National Express website for more details. At the present time National Express are not calling at Newbury Wharf.
Trains services that operate in West Berkshire maybe subject to change, often at short notice, updated information can be found on the Great Western Railway (GWR) website.
Travel Guidance and Face Coverings
The Government has removed all domestic legal restrictions relating to COVID-19.
There is no longer a legal requirement to wear a face covering, but the government suggests that people continue to wear one in crowded and enclosed spaces, where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
You can find more detailed information about coronavirus guidance on the GOV.UK website.
Services on Bank Holidays and During Travel Disruption
If you are planning to travel by public transport on bank holidays, during bad weather or during other periods of disruption, please use the Traveline journey planner which has regularly updated information.
We also post available updates on the Connect West Berkshire Twitter feed.
You can also check with the bus or train company you will be using to make sure they are running. Please see the contact details listed above.
Road Closures and Bus Stop Suspensions
At times essential utility work and highway improvement works can cause disruptions to bus services. This can include bus stop suspensions and services having to divert from scheduled routes.
Details of any works which could have a major impact on West Berkshire Council contracted services will be posted on this page.
Contacting Local Bus and Train Operators
You can find details of the major bus and train operators in West Berkshire, and links to their website and contact details, below:
- Connect - services 5, 5a, 5c, 41, 44, 47 and H1; or follow Connect on Twitter
- Going Forward Buses - find their contact details on the Going Forward Buses website, here - you can also find Going Forward Buses on Facebook
- Great Western Railway (GWR) - find their contact details on the GWR website, here - you can also follow Great Western Railway on Twitter
- Newbury and District - find their contact details on the Newbury and District website - you can also find Newbury and District on Facebook and follow Newbury and District on Twitter
- Reading Buses - find their contact details on the Reading Buses website, here - you can also find Reading Buses on Facebook and follow Reading Buses on Twitter
- Stagecoach - find their contact details on the Stagecoach website, here - you can also follow Stagecoach South on Twitter
- Swindon's Bus Company - find their contact details on the Swindon Bus Company website, here
- Thames Travel - find their contact details on the Thames Travel website, here - you can also find Thames Travel on Facebook