Bus Fare

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RECENT BUS FARE EDITIONS

JUNE 2009. Like most bus companies in the UK, Reading Buses is suffering a significant drop in revenue arising from the recession. A review of the company's efforts to stabilise the situation by the end of their financial year in October is given. There is also a look back at Winkfield Coaches, an offshoot of the well-known White Bus Services of Winkfield, near Windsor which ceased operations in early 1991.

May 2009. News is reported on the plans to transform Oxford's bus services following the pedestrianisation of a number of streets in the city centre. The project will be carried out in two phases with phase one completion expected in 2010 and phase two completed by 2013. Details of Courtney Coaches network of bus service changes in the Maidenhead area in February 2009 are given whilst Mac Head tracks down three former AWRE buses exported to Malta 20 years ago which are still in operation there.

APRIL 2009. This issue contains details of the service revamp in the Newbury area and also the rebranding of Reading Buses rural services. John Zebedee gives details of a new "Buses In Reading" website and encourages us all to get involved. The usual comprehensive fleet news on the Kennet & Thames Valley areas is also included.

MARCH 2009. This month features the story of the transport chaos that ensued following the heavy snowfall during the early hours of 2 February 2009 and also the flooding and black ice in the middle of the month. The usual comprehensive fleet news from the Kennet and Thames Valley area is also included.

FEBRUARY 2009. Simon Brown gives an introduction to the bus scene in the Basingstoke area whilst Mac Head takes us for a day out on Green Line. There are details of 3 preserved ex-Reading motorbuses for sale. Mac Head asks what goes on behind a bus and coach livery with a look at White Bus Services. A full round up of news in the Kennet & Thames Valley area is also included.

JANUARY 2009. This issue includes an article written by Dave Hall for the local Reading Evening Post about the history of Reading's trolleybuses. There is a review of Reading's 'Pop Art' advertisement Scanias together with a look back at the days when Alder Valley buses on the London commuter services from Reading were used by London Transport for sight seeing tours during the day! The usual comprehensive news of the Kennet and Thames Valley is also included.

DECEMBER 2008. Dave Hall reports on Reading Buses Bio-Ethanol 1114s visit to the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft to take part in the Reading trolleybus running day on Sunday 16 November. 'The Way It Was' section features Thames Valley buses that used to park on the front forecourt of Reading railway station in the 1960s. There is the usual comprehensive round up of news from the Kennet and Thames Valley areas.

November 2008. On Saturday 25 October 2008 Reading Buses operated its last services to Twyford having lost the Wokingham Borough Council contract to Thames Travel. A review of the 33 years of operation by Reading Buses is included. There are details of visiting buses to the Reading area including RML2545 and also an American School Bus. There is the usual comprehensive round up of fleet news from around the Kennet & Thames Valley areas.

OCTOBER 2008. This issue reports on a motorbus from Uganda that visited Reading in 1913, six years before Reading Corporation operated their first motorbus. Reading Buses Mark 1 Optare Excel's are also featured as the once 60 strong fleet has now been completely withdrawn from service. Some excellent colour views are included showing these vehicles from the time they were first introduced in the mid 1990s. There is also the usual comprehensive round up of transport news in the Kennet & Thames Valley area.

SEPTEMBER 2008. Various Traffic issues in Reading town centre are discussed and the sale of four Reading Buses Bristol RELL's to Malta in 1980 for use at the airport is recalled. There is a comprehensive round up of fleet news in the Kennet & Thames Valley areas as usual.

AUGUST 2008.This issue looks at the Transport Plan for Reading submitted by the Independent Transport Commission to Reading Borough Council. There is a brief report on the Open Day held by Reading Buses at their Great Knollys Street Depot in July. Phil Cross reports on a very unusual (definitely unique!) bus working on Kennet Island and a photo quiz is also included. There is also the usual comprehensive round up of news from the Kennet and Thames Valley area.

JULY 2008. This edition recalls the massive fire at Bee Line Buses depot in Newbury which occurred on 20 March 1988, destroying a number of buses. There are a few photos of buses drafted in from other operators as a short-term measure. The usual comprehensive round up of news from the Kennet and Thames Valley area is also included plus a number of letters from readers of this journal.

JUNE 2008. Chris Spencer reports on his experience of using the new concessionary bus passes issued to senior citizens from April 2008. The great 2008 fuel crisis and the concerns of bus operators is also discussed. There is a report on the problems being experienced with the new Hassell bus stops in the Tilehurst area of Reading plus the usual wide ranging fleet news from the Thames and Kennet Valleys.

May 2008. This month's edition takes a look back to 10 years ago when the Reading Buses depot at Mill Lane was closed down and transferred to Great Knolly's Street. There is also the usual comprehensive round-up of fleet news from around the Kennet and Thames Valley area.

April 2008. Peter Thompson advises the current situation of the ex-Reading buses that were exported to Auckland, New Zealand in 2006 and 2007. There is news of the Oxfordshire Bus Tendering process and news of National Express's intention to launch London Commuter Services. There is the usual coverage of news from around the Kennet and Thames Valley areas.

March 2008. A bumper edition is produced this month to mark the (theoretical) end of 'step entrance' buses in Reading on 23 February 2008. There are 8 pages devoted to colour photos of the various types of buses withdrawn and the liveries they have appeared in over the years. There is also an assessment on Reading Transport's proposals for relieving the traffic gridlock in the town plus the usual comprehensive fleet news in the Kennet and Thames Valley area.

FEBRUARY 2008. There is a look at the future of Reading Buses fleet, details of the Newbury 2007/08 fleet upgrade and news of a BTS Tour in one of Reading's Metro Buses, all of which are to be withdrawn from service in late February. There is also the usual comprehensive roundup of news from the Thames and Kennet Valleys.

January 2008. There is a review of the changes to the bus scene in the Reading area over the last 10 years whilst there is further information on Reading Buses new Ethanol powered buses due for delivery shortly. There is also the usual comprehensive roundup of news from the Thames and Kennet Valleys.

RECENT BUS FARE EDITIONS
	JUNE 2009. Like most bus companies in the UK, Reading Buses is suffering a significant drop in revenue arising from the recession. A review of the company's efforts to stabilise the situation by the end of their financial year in October is given. There is also a look back at Winkfield Coaches, an offshoot of the well-known White Bus Services of Winkfield, near Windsor which ceased operations in early 1991.
	May 2009. News is reported on the plans to transform Oxford's bus services following the pedestrianisation of a number of streets in the city centre. The project will be carried out in two phases with phase one completion expected in 2010 and phase two completed by 2013. Details of Courtney Coaches network of bus service changes in the Maidenhead area in February 2009 are given whilst Mac Head tracks down three former AWRE buses exported to Malta 20 years ago which are still in operation there.
	APRIL 2009. This issue contains details of the service revamp in the Newbury area and also the rebranding of Reading Buses rural services. John Zebedee gives details of a new "Buses In Reading" website and encourages us all to get involved. The usual comprehensive fleet news on the Kennet & Thames Valley areas is also included.
	MARCH 2009. This month features the story of the transport chaos that ensued following the heavy snowfall during the early hours of 2 February 2009 and also the flooding and black ice in the middle of the month. The usual comprehensive fleet news from the Kennet and Thames Valley area is also included.
	FEBRUARY 2009. Simon Brown gives an introduction to the bus scene in the Basingstoke area whilst Mac Head takes us for a day out on Green Line. There are details of 3 preserved ex-Reading motorbuses for sale. Mac Head asks what goes on behind a bus and coach livery with a look at White Bus Services. A full round up of news in the Kennet & Thames Valley area is also included.
	JANUARY 2009. This issue includes an article written by Dave Hall for the local Reading Evening Post about the history of Reading's trolleybuses. There is a review of Reading's 'Pop Art' advertisement Scanias together with a look back at the days when Alder Valley buses on the London commuter services from Reading were used by London Transport for sight seeing tours during the day! The usual comprehensive news of the Kennet and Thames Valley is also included.
	DECEMBER 2008. Dave Hall reports on Reading Buses Bio-Ethanol 1114s visit to the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft to take part in the Reading trolleybus running day on Sunday 16 November. 'The Way It Was' section features Thames Valley buses that used to park on the front forecourt of Reading railway station in the 1960s. There is the usual comprehensive round up of news from the Kennet and Thames Valley areas.
	November 2008. On Saturday 25 October 2008 Reading Buses operated its last services to Twyford having lost the Wokingham Borough Council contract to Thames Travel. A review of the 33 years of operation by Reading Buses is included. There are details of visiting buses to the Reading area including RML2545 and also an American School Bus. There is the usual comprehensive round up of fleet news from around the Kennet & Thames Valley areas.
	OCTOBER 2008. This issue reports on a motorbus from Uganda that visited Reading in 1913, six years before Reading Corporation operated their first motorbus. Reading Buses Mark 1 Optare Excel's are also featured as the once 60 strong fleet has now been completely withdrawn from service. Some excellent colour views are included showing these vehicles from the time they were first introduced in the mid 1990s. There is also the usual comprehensive round up of transport news in the Kennet & Thames Valley area.
	SEPTEMBER 2008. Various Traffic issues in Reading town centre are discussed and the sale of four Reading Buses Bristol RELL's to Malta in 1980 for use at the airport is recalled. There is a comprehensive round up of fleet news in the Kennet & Thames Valley areas as usual.
	AUGUST 2008.This issue looks at the Transport Plan for Reading submitted by the Independent Transport Commission to Reading Borough Council. There is a brief report on the Open Day held by Reading Buses at their Great Knollys Street Depot in July. Phil Cross reports on a very unusual (definitely unique!) bus working on Kennet Island and a photo quiz is also included. There is also the usual comprehensive round up of news from the Kennet and Thames Valley area.
	JULY 2008. This edition recalls the massive fire at Bee Line Buses depot in Newbury which occurred on 20 March 1988, destroying a number of buses. There are a few photos of buses drafted in from other operators as a short-term measure. The usual comprehensive round up of news from the Kennet and Thames Valley area is also included plus a number of letters from readers of this journal.
	JUNE 2008. Chris Spencer reports on his experience of using the new concessionary bus passes issued to senior citizens from April 2008. The great 2008 fuel crisis and the concerns of bus operators is also discussed. There is a report on the problems being experienced with the new Hassell bus stops in the Tilehurst area of Reading plus the usual wide ranging fleet news from the Thames and Kennet Valleys.
	May 2008. This month's edition takes a look back to 10 years ago when the Reading Buses depot at Mill Lane was closed down and transferred to Great Knolly's Street. There is also the usual comprehensive round-up of fleet news from around the Kennet and Thames Valley area.
	April 2008. Peter Thompson advises the current situation of the ex-Reading buses that were exported to Auckland, New Zealand in 2006 and 2007. There is news of the Oxfordshire Bus Tendering process and news of National Express's intention to launch London Commuter Services. There is the usual coverage of news from around the Kennet and Thames Valley areas.
	March 2008. A bumper edition is produced this month to mark the (theoretical) end of 'step entrance' buses in Reading on 23 February 2008. There are 8 pages devoted to colour photos of the various types of buses withdrawn and the liveries they have appeared in over the years. There is also an assessment on Reading Transport's proposals for relieving the traffic gridlock in the town plus the usual comprehensive fleet news in the Kennet and Thames Valley area.
	FEBRUARY 2008. There is a look at the future of Reading Buses fleet, details of the Newbury 2007/08 fleet upgrade and news of a BTS Tour in one of Reading's Metro Buses, all of which are to be withdrawn from service in late February. There is also the usual comprehensive roundup of news from the Thames and Kennet Valleys.
	January 2008. There is a review of the changes to the bus scene in the Reading area over the last 10 years whilst there is further information on Reading Buses new Ethanol powered buses due for delivery shortly. There is also the usual comprehensive roundup of news from the Thames and Kennet Valleys.