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Transport Service Changes or Disruption

Planned public transport changes, disruption information and contacting operators.

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Singles Bus Fares in 2025 

You may have heard the Government's announcement about a £3 single fare cap on bus journeys being introduced on many bus services in England from 1 January 2025. It will be in place until 31 December 2025. 

This will be applied on bus services that operate in West Berkshire. Please check with the individual bus operators listed below for the latest information on the capping of single fares across the district. 

You can find a list of operators taking part on the Government's website. 

 

Change to morning journeys on 4a and 4c 

From 28 April 2025 there will be a Icon for pdf Stockcross Shuttle [85KB] until road works are completed.

From 6 January 2025 there will be timetable changes to the morning 4a and 4c journeys between Newbury and Lambourn (routes are operated by Newbury & District) to assist with students going to school and college. 

On Monday to Friday the following will apply: 

  • the morning 4a journey will depart from Newbury Wharf at 06.35am and is scheduled to arrive at Lambourn Market Square at 07.04am
  • the morning 4c service will now depart Lambourn Market Square at 07.15am on both school and non-school days

On Saturdays the following will apply: 

  • the morning 4a journey will depart from Newbury Wharf at 06.45am and is scheduled to arrive at Lambourn Market Square at 07.14am
  • the morning 4c journey will depart Lambourn Market Square at 07.22am

There are no other changes to the route 4, 4a, 4b and 4c timetables. You can find out more information on Newbury & District's website.  

Travel to Harwell and Didcot by bus from Newbury and Donnington

HM Government funded by logo.
From Monday 30 September residents in Donnington Heights will have a new bus service! 

In July 2023 Thames Travel's X34 bus service operating between Didcot and Harwell Campus was extended to Newbury town centre. (This was made possible by funding from HM Government, given to West Berkshire Council and Oxfordshire County Council after submission of a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in October 2021).  This extension has been a great success with numbers boarding in the West Berkshire section of the route, Newbury town centre and the Vodafone headquarters, steadily growing. The service in particular makes employment opportunities at Harwell Campus readily accessible by bus from Newbury. Didcot has proved attractive to for our residents, especially those wanting to see the heritage trains at Didcot Railway Centre for a nice day out. From Harwell, you can connect onto other Thames Travel bus services to Wantage and Oxford. 

From 30 September, the X24/X34 will be rerouted through the Donnington Heights development (Garrison Meadows and Bastion Street) and the B4494 Oxford Road, going past Donnington Square and Donnington Priory. Residents in Love Lane near the Bastion Street junction will also have easy access to the bus service thanks to a new pair of bus stops installed here.

The X24/X34 operates hourly Mondays to Saturdays. Further good news is that the service is covered by the £2 Single Fare Cap valid until 31 December 2024.

Why not use this service to get to work, go to Newbury or Didcot, or visit family and friends.

 

Additional bus services between Newbury and Basingstoke

HM Government funded by logo.
Improvements to your local bus services are continuing apace, making it an even more attractive way to travel.

From 5 May 2024, Stagecoach will be introducing additional services to their long-standing service between Newbury and Basingstoke.

Service 32 formerly known as The LINK will:

  • operate on Sundays/public holidays for the very first time
  • provide later evening services between Newbury and Basingstoke Monday to Saturday
  • additional peak-time evening services on Monday to Friday

With these significant enhancements, why not use the service to go to Basingstoke, catch the latest film, visit friends and family and access job opportunities.

Further information can be found on Stagecoach and West Berkshire Council's websites.

These service enhancements build on a long-held ambition of West Berkshire Council to enhance late evening and Sunday bus services across the district and follow the recent introduction of the:

  • 1e late evening service on Fridays and Saturdays between Newbury and Thatcham
  • Lime 2a extension to Mortimer every 2 hours on Sundays
  • X34 between Newbury and Harwell Campus/Didcot

With the introduction of on-demand bus services West Berkshire Community Connect and Wiltshire Connect, these changes ensure that local bus services continue to evolve.

Your concessionary fares bus pass will be accepted on these services between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday and all day on Saturdays and Sundays/public holidays.

This service extension has been made possible by funding from HM Government, given to West Berkshire Council after submission of a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in October 2021 and the Council has partnered with Stagecoach and Hampshire County Council to make these services a reality.

There will be further announcements about your local bus services in the coming months so please do look out for them.

 

New evening bus services in Newbury and Thatcham and Sunday services to Mortimer

HM Government funded by logo.
You now have even more reason to consider using your local bus services.

From September 2023, Newbury & District have introduced a late evening service between Newbury and Thatcham on Friday and Saturday evenings and Lime 2a operated by Reading Buses now extends to Mortimer every 2 hours on Sundays.

The Friday and Saturday 1e late evening service runs between Newbury Wharf and Thatcham Broadway, extending to Falmouth Way. The service also passes through the Turnpike Estate. Why not use the bus to go to the cinema, the Corn Exchange, go out for a bite to eat or meet friends and family in local bars and eateries.

The Lime 2a has been extended to serve Mortimer every 2 hours on Sundays, providing a bus link to Burghfield and Reading which has not been available for some years.  You could use the service to go shopping in Reading, catch the latest film, visit friends/or family, or access job opportunities.

Further information can be found on Reading Buses and Newbury & District's websites and in our Icon for pdf Travel Guide [7MB] .

These service enhancements build on a long-held ambition of West Berkshire Council to enhance late evening and Sunday bus services across the district and with the recent introduction of the X34 between Newbury and Harwell Campus/Didcot ensure that local bus services continue to evolve.

Your concessionary fares bus pass will be accepted on these services between 9.30am and 11pm on Fridays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays.

These service extensions have been made possible by funding from HM Government, given to West Berkshire Council after submission of a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in October 2021 and the council has partnered with Reading Buses and Newbury & District to make these services a reality.

There will be further announcements about your local bus services in the coming months so please do look out for them.

 

Other Public Transport Services

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.

National Express is not currently operating in West Berkshire. 

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 consider wearing one when COVID-19 rates are high and you will be in close contact with others such as in crowded and enclosed spaces, when you come into close contact with someone in a high risk category and when there are a lot of respiratory viruses circulating. 

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.

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 below. 

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:

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