Transport Service Changes or Disruption

On this page:

• Special Platinum Jubilee Bus Travel
• Services changes in April 2022
• Changes to 44 timetable
• Other Public Transport Services
• Travel Guidance and Face Coverings
• Services on Bank Holidays and During Travel Disruption
• Contacting Local Bus and Train Operators

Special Platinum Jubilee Bus Travel in West Berkshire

Bus users in West Berkshire will have even more reason to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this June.  

Following on from the successful free bus travel offered in December for Christmas, and the Easter weekend, most bus journeys starting in West Berkshire over Jubilee weekend (2-5 June 2022) will be completely free!

Travellers can take advantage of this to celebrate this very special milestone to attend Jubilee events across West Berkshire, to meet up with friends and family, or attend events in towns and villages across the district.

This initiative has been developed by West Berkshire Council in partnership with Reading Buses and Thames Travel and will be valid on any Reading Buses, Newbury & District, and Thames Travel services within West Berkshire.

If you board the bus outside West Berkshire you will still need to pay for the ticket or use a valid concessionary bus pass.

To make it even easier to travel by bus this Jubilee weekend, services in the Newbury and Thatcham area will also operate on both 2 & 3 June 2022, as well as Saturday. These additional services will be provided on routes 1a, 1c, 2, 8 and 9 with a Saturday timetable. On the 2 & 3 June 2022, the 4 & 6 service will operate a special holiday timetable of 2 round trips in the morning and afternoon for those wishing to travel in either direction.  Timetables for 2 & 3 June 2022 [54.94KB]

Public Holiday services will operate on routes Jet Black 1, Lime 2/a, 15, 16, 26 and 33 on 2, 3 & 5 June 2022.

Saturday services on routes 3, 4, 6, and Thames Travel 143 will be free within West Berkshire on 4 June 2022.

The full list of routes is as follows:

All Newbury & District services operate entirely within the West Berkshire boundary.

Saturday service 2, 3 & 4 June 2022 

Special Holiday Timetable on 2 & 3 June 2022 - one return journey in morning and afternoon

Full Saturday timetables operating on 4 June 2022

Reading Buses and Thames Travel valid routes for free travel if boarding in West Berkshire, whatever your destination. However, remember that if you board outside West Berkshire you would need to buy a ticket as normal:

Summary of services operated each day 

Services changes in April 2022 

From Monday 4 April 2022 there will be some timetable changes to routes that serve Reading town centre, operated by Reading Buses.  

A summary of these changes:

• Jet Black 1 - some changes to peak time buses in the morning and evening. 
• Lime 2/2a - some minor changes. 
• 33 - some changes in the morning and afternoon during peak times. 

Further information can be found on the Reading Buses website. 

Going Forward Buses have also made some changes to their routes, information can be found on their website. 

Please ensure you have checked the latest timetable information available, the travel guide will be updated shortly. 

Changes to 44 timetable 

From Monday 13 December 2021 there will be a minor timetable change to route 44 between Thatcham and Calcot operated by West Berkshire Council's Transport Services.

The last journey from Thatcham Broadway will depart 5 minutes earlier at 4.20pm. Further information will shortly be available in the travel guide. 

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