Popular Newbury bus services set to be axed
Newbury Buses has announced it will cease operation of the number 8 and 12 services from the end of August
TWO popular Newbury bus routes will be axed in August - despite increasing public demand.
The move has been roundly condemned by ward councillors, especially as one route has seen a threefold increase in use.
Newbury Buses, a division of Reading Transport Limited, announced it will cut the number 8/8A (Newbury - Greenham - Tesco) and number 12 (Glendale Avenue [Wash Common] to Newbury) services after August 27.
Meanwhile, 15 staff members from the company's Mill Lane depot will be made redundant.
The number of buses will also be reduced, although nine will be retained for Vodafone bus routes.
In addition, it is understood that the bus company is in discussions with Stagecoach Hampshire over The Link route connecting Newbury and Basingstoke, while making arrangements for routes 6 and 6A (Newbury - East Ilsley circular), to be franchised, unchanged, to another operator.
District councillor, Adrian Edwards (Con, Falkland), said axeing the number 12 route would affect many people, including some St Bartholomew's School and Park House School pupils.
Billy Drummond (Lib Dem, Greenham) meanwhile condemned the decision to stop the number 8 service.
He said: “It is a useful service and I have always found the buses to be quite busy. A lot of people don't have cars, some people have young kids and for this to happen is dreadful.”
Greenham parish councillor Phil Barnett said the service was particularly valuable for the elderly and predicted more people resorting to using private cars.
The bus company, which closed the Market Street station office in 2009, cited “unacceptable losses” on the routes as the reason for cutting the services.
This is despite a dramatic increase in riders following the introduction of cheaper fares last year and an increase in the frequency of the service.
However, one bus driver, who asked not to be named, said the move was the “final straw” for staff after two years of troubles, in which workers voted on possible strike action in 2009 over the way the company was being run.
From a total of 279 votes cast, 41.2 per cent (115 people) voted in favour of a strike, while 58.8 per cent (164 people) voted against it.
Reading Transport chief executive officer James Freeman said staff were informed of the decision at a meeting on Tuesday (June 7), adding that despite a threefold increase on the Greenham service, there was insufficient revenue to cover costs.
He said: “Running buses in Newbury is always problematic and we have had a really good go at trying to make the town services work, as our staff know. But even with three times as many people using the service in Greenham compared to last year, it is still not enough.”
However, West Berkshire Council spokesman, Phil Spray, said: “It is the council's intention that no service will be lost as a result of Reading Transport's decision. We are currently in discussion with other operators to ensure as far as possible services for the public are unaffected.”
