All aboard for better buses under investment proposals

An extra £500,000 a year is set to be invested in Wokingham Borough’s bus and community transport services as the council continues supporting their growth.

The proposals, to be discussed by its decision-making executive next Thursday (28 May), include:

• extending the Twyford to Wokingham bus service to include Coppid Beech and extending operating hours to cover rail commuters
• a morning and evening express link from Coppid Beech to Twyford station
• a new link between housing at North Wokingham and the town centre
• a new link between Woodley, Winnersh and Wokingham town
• a new link between Lower Earley and Wokingham town

The council is also set to invest in the equivalent of three new vehicles for its community transport service, supporting residents who cannot access local buses. This would more than double its support for this area, with most of the money supporting a ‘dial-a-ride’ service.

Better standards across the board

These proposals will allow the council to expand on the 650,000 passenger trips that currently take place in the borough with its support each year.

They're part of a tendering process for new contracts on 21 supported local bus routes, while the remaining 11 routes will continue to operate commercially. 

The council wants to fund buses to run earlier, later and on Sundays, to connect with trains and reduce parking pressures, particularly at Twyford station. It is aiming for more consistent timetables, as well as high accessibility and emissions standards for vehicles.

The new contracts would run for five years from April 2027, with funding from the Government via the council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, plus council and developer funding.

Funding opportunities are also being discussed with town and parish councils, and Wokingham Town Council has agreed a contribution.

Shaped by everyone who relies on buses

These proposals follow extensive consultation with specific groups and the wider community to explore how the council’s support can make the biggest difference.

For example, carers often struggle due to a lack of evening and weekend services, while commuters need timetables to support their journeys and people using community transport feel existing services are at capacity.

Bids will be invited in late summer and new contracts awarded in November. The final decision is subject to operators’ submissions and affordability in the allocated budget.

Over the 2025/26 financial year, trips starting in the borough grew by 4 per cent to 2.6 million, approaching the pre-covid figure of 2.8 million. The council wants this to continue growing to 4.4 million by 2039/40.

Within that same period, community transport services enabled a further 44,000 journeys for residents who can't use local buses.

'Building on years of fantastic progress'

Cllr Adrian Betteridge, executive member for active travel, transport and highways, said: “Supporting buses helps everyone get around. It helps reduce congestion on the roads, parking pressures and it helps keep our environment clean.

“We’ve already seen fantastic increases in passenger numbers on some routes and helped grow services which can now operate without subsidy. These new proposals address the issues raised by local people and I’m looking forward to the benefits they’ll bring.”

Part of the bigger picture

The council’s efforts to improve and increase usage of bus services are part of a wider ambition to promote active and sustainable alternatives to driving where possible.

This enables access to healthy, affordable ways of getting around for everyone while reducing air pollution and supporting a comprehensive climate emergency action plan. 

It reduces congestion on the roads by addressing the root cause, and sits alongside the council’s drive to support uptake of electric vehicles.

Across everything it does, the council is working to shape a more fair, green, safe and connected borough by 2030.