7 October 2024
There have been improvements and changes to the bus services running through our area this year and it might be useful to remind you about them.
Reading Buses services through Emmer Green have changed with the Berry 25/25a becoming half-hourly to Sonning Common.
The Henley-Reading bus service is now operated by Reading Buses, their Acqua 28 route.
Reading Buses now have two school routes connecting our area to the schools around the Royal Berkshire Hospital Route 80 and to Bulmershe Route 81.
Thames Travel's River Rapids X40 service runs between Reading and Oxford via Caversham Heights. The half-hourly service operates 6 days a week and hourly on Sunday, following the same route as Reading Buses 22 from the St Peters Avenue stop on the Woodcote Road.
On Sundays, extra journeys between Reading and Caversham operate as service 40C. These journeys operate via St Peter’s Hill and serve Highmoor Road Church 6 minutes before the time shown for Caversham Library.
Red Rose Travel an independent company runs services between Reading and Watlington, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Their Route 122 goes via the Peppard Road and Sonning Common, and Route 123 goes via Kidmore End, Gallowstree Common, Checkendon and Stoke Row.
5 March 2024
RBC's Traffic Management Sub-Committee considers traffic measure requests from Councillors, such as pedestrian crossings, traffic calming. The following documents are the requests for the North Reading area:
Amendments to Existing Measures
Principal List - All requests carried forward from previous meeting.
13 December 2023
CADRA has responded to Reading Borough Council's Transport Strategy 2040. The public Consultation remian open until the 11 December 23.
12 December 2023
Red Rose Travel have recently started services between Reading and Watlington, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The 122 goes via the Peppard Road and Sonning Common. The 123 goes via Kidmore End, Gallowstree Common, Checkendon and Stoke Row.
On Sundays, the River Rapids X40 service makes extra journeys between Reading and Caversham Heights as the 40C. These operate via St Peter’s Hill and serve Highmoor Road Church.
10 November 2023
The public Consultation on Reading Borough Council's Transport Strategy 2040 is open until the 11 December 23. The Council are holding public drop-in sessions to ask questions and comment on the strategy.
Caversham Library - Thursday 16 November - Church Street, 1-7pm
Reading Town Hall - Wednesday 15 November - Blagrave Street, 1-6pm
Or on
Tuesday 14 November: Battle Library, Oxford Road, 1-7pm
Tuesday 21 November: Whitley Library, Northumberland Avenue, 1-7pm
Thursday 23 November: Palmer Park Library, St Bartholomews Road, 1-4p
In 2020, we Commented on their Strategy 2036 document, which made some radical proposals with an impact on us north of the river and for south Oxfordshire, as this one does. We will review the latest strategy and our previous comments to decide if further ones are required.
The proposals include three new Park and Ride sites accessed from the Woodcote, Peppard and Henley Roads, and linked by an outer orbital route connecting them with Park and Rides south of the river, subject to the building of a third Thames bridge.
Linked in with this is the Council's draft Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy, for which there was a public consultation in August/September 2023, and CADRA Commented on.
CADRA follows proposed traffic and transport changes, through: formal consultations, the local press and via links with other organisations. When appropriate, we attend, question and present to Reading Borough Council's Traffic Management Sub-Committee.
The Council has published its Reading Bus Service Improvement Plan. Its overall vision is to deliver a comprehensive bus network in Reading, which means travel by bus is the natural choice for both residents and visitors. We have yet to study it in detail, but the Council's intention to work with neighbouring authorities and bus companies is very welcome.
Reading live travel information: Travel Reading Live
Street and highway defects can be reported to RBC Highways Dept: Road problems section
Reading Borough Council Traffic Management Sub-Committee
GOV.UK Driving and Transport: The Highway Code Online
Network Rail Great Western Mainline developments: Network Rail
Local roadworks; when and where they are planned and who is responsible: Local Roadworks You can search national roadworks from this link, as well.
Owned by Reading Borough Council, their services are primarily Reading, but with routes to Wokingham, Bracknell and Newbury. The timetables and route maps are at: Reading Buses.
The services for our area are the Pink 22 (Caversham Heights) and Berry Route 23 - Route 24 both Emmer Green and Route 25 (Emmer Green to Sonning Common/Peppard).
The Henley-Reading bus service is also operated by Reading Buses, the Acqua 28 route.
The are two school routes connecting our area to the schools around the Royal Berkshire Hospital are the Route 80 and Route 81.
Reading Buses have a good smartphone app providing live bus route times at : Apple Store Google Play
Thames Travel's River Rapids X40 service runs between Reading and Oxford via Caversham Heights. The half-hourly service operates 6 days a week and hourly on Sunday, following the same route as Reading Buses 22 from the St Peters Avenue stop on the Woodcote Road.
On Sundays, extra journeys between Reading and Caversham operate as service 40C. These journeys operate via St Peter’s Hill and serve Highmoor Road Church 6 minutes before the time shown for Caversham Library.
Red Rose Travel run services between Reading and Watlington, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The 122 goes via the Peppard Road and Sonning Common. The 123 goes via Kidmore End, Gallowstree Common, Checkendon and Stoke Row.
ReadiBus is the dial-a-ride bus service for people with restricted mobility
in and around Reading. Readibus say: "there are always people who can’t cope with mainstream bus services and it is those people we seek to serve. It doesn’t matter what the mobility restriction is – if it prevents you from using public transport or if you simply need too much help doing so then ReadiBus is for you". You need to register in order to use the service at: ReadiBus
Arriva run a service from Reading to High Wycombe which travels through the centre of Caversham and along the Henley Road - the 800. Details of the cost and timetables can be found on their website at: High Wycombe - Reading
Free service from Reading Station into the Thames Valley Park (Microsoft, Oracle, BG Group)
Although this travel website is not regularly updated and not all links work, some information may still be useful, here is the link - Travel Reading Live
CADRA often receive concerns about parking, driving and cycling on pavements. Based on those concerns and our understanding of the law, we have prepared this document which may help our members, where they have such problems. Parking, Driving & Cycling on Pavements
CADRA believes that safe cycle routes are key to encouraging more people to cycle AND discouraging cycling on pavements. We would like to see more ambitious and far reaching targets on the provision of more and safer cycle routes.
Reading Borough Council also encourages safe cycling in the town and has information and maps about local and national cycling routes. It supported ReadyBike, which provided a short period bike hire service, until the company running the service couldn't continue and another suitable operator couldn't be found. The bikes were donated to hotels and small businesses. The council hope the scheme can be revived.
In 2013 CADRA reviewed and welcomed the production of the draft Reading Cycling Strategy, including measures to provide cycle training and develop skills. Follow this link to read our Comments Document in full.
Reading Cycle Campaign is a voluntary organisation that campaigns for better facilities for cyclists in Reading and surrounding areas.
In November 2013, CADRA held a joint meeting with the Caversham Traders Association to open discussion on what might be done in Caversham to make roads more ‘friendly’ to non-motorists. From there, the ‘Sharing our Streets’ project has progressed, engaging local people and Reading Borough Council in how a proper strategy could be achieved, which uses more up to date methods to allow traffic to flow through smoothly and pedestrians to move around more freely. Work continues in preparation for funds becoming available from development in Caversham centre.
Read more at: Sharing Our Streets
