Park and ride bus plans

MORE THAN 700 buses a week will use the planned Coppid Beech Park and Ride scheme when it opens.

Independent councillor Gary Cowan wanted to know howmany buses would “be scheduled to travel into Wokingham and howmany to Bracknell on a weekly basis”.

Responding, Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, the executive member for highways and transport, said: “Discussions have been undertaken with Reading Buses around the diversion of the Lion 4/X4 into the park and ride site. If all Lion 4/X4 are successfully diverted into the site at pre-Covid-19 frequencies, and assuming a normal week with no bank holidays, this would provide: 739 buses, of which 372 would be Reading bound and 367would be Bracknell bound.”

Cllr Cowan said that Park & Ride endured additional costs, and that the borough had poor service from the existing sites.

“Could more be done to serve Wokingham?”

Cllr Jorgensen said that Winnersh Triangle serves Earley quite well and that Woodley would be served by the new Park & Ride being built at Thames Valley Park.

She welcomed ideas for improvements “without spending ratepayers money”.