logo
Reading bus prices to rise after government funding ends

Reading bus prices to rise after government funding ends

BBC News30-05-2025
Bus tickets prices in Reading are set to rise as government funding comes to an end.The borough council said five million All-Bus tickets had been sold since the scheme was introduced in March 2023 as part of its £26m Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). John Ennis, lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, said the council's scheme had brought bus usage close to pre-Covid levels, and that the authority remained "committed" to making public transport more attractive.But he said the government funding "was never going to last forever" and the council could not subsidise bus travel.
The All-Bus tickets allow passengers all-day travel on services run by several different operators in the Reading area.From Monday, the ticket will cost £4.90 on an app and £5.40 if purchased on the bus. Currently, it costs £3.40 on the app and £3.50 on the bus.The Young Persons All-Bus ticket - currently £2.60 if bought on the app - will cost £4.20, and the Group All-Bus ticket will cost £10.80 during the peak period and £8.80 off-peak.
Service improvements
The council has introduced a number of improvements to its bus services, including the introduction of tap-on-tap-off payment and adding new services, such as those to and from Reading Green Park railway station."The council's BSIP has so far been successful in helping to bring passenger numbers close to the level they were before the Covid pandemic," said Mr Ennis."Reading already had an excellent bus service and the BSIP funding has allowed us to introduce a wide range of improvements to make bus journeys even more reliable, convenient, easier, faster and cheaper."Encouraging more people to travel by bus takes cars off roads, reduces congestion, improves air quality and benefits the health of Reading residents."
You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tasers to be issued to staff in male prisons in government crack down on violence
Tasers to be issued to staff in male prisons in government crack down on violence

The Independent

time18 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Tasers to be issued to staff in male prisons in government crack down on violence

Tasers are set to be issued to some staff in male prisons as the government attempts to crack down on 'unacceptable' record levels of violence. Specialist officers from the Operational Response and Resilience Unit based in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, and Doncaster, South Yorkshire, will be the first to become equipped with electric stun guns when the pilot launches on Monday. as she attended the base in Kidlington last week. The trial in England and Wales will run until enough data has been collected to determine if Tasers should be more widely used, according to the Ministry of Justice – but Ms Mahmood said she hoped to have updates in the autumn. The launch comes after rates of assaults on prison staff reached record levels last year, rising by 13 per cent in the 12 months up to December 2024, according to government data. There were also 10,496 assaults on staff in the 12 months to September 2024 – a 23 per cent increase from the previous 12 months and a new peak. Unions welcomed the new trial, but called on the government to address the roots of violence in jail. Last week, officers demonstrated how they would use Tasers on violent inmates in scenarios where there is a significant threat to safety – such as hostage situations or riots. Speaking to reporters at the Kidlington base, Ms Mahmood said: 'I inherited a situation with completely unacceptable levels of violence. I'm not willing to tolerate that. I'm determined to do everything I can to keep prison staff safe. 'They have been asking for Tasers to be allowed to be used in our prison estate for years and years and years, and I'm very pleased to have been able to greenlight this trial.' In April this year, Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff at HMP Frankland with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush. Four prison officers were injured at the jail in Brasside, County Durham, with three taken to hospital. 'The incident of Frankland has really forced the pace on further roll-out of these measures,' Ms Mahmood said. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana also allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh in May by pouring boiling water over them. Union bosses called for officers to be given stab vests and protective equipment, with Ms Mahmood announcing in June that officers would be told to wear body armour at close supervision centres, separation centres and segregation units in the highest categories of prisons in England and Wales. The trial will use the Taser 7 model, which generates 50,000 volts when fired, with the voltage dropping to 1,500 volts on contact with the skin to incapacitate the target. The T7 model is also a two-shot weapon, enabling officers to shoot a second time in the event they miss their target the first time. The Tasers will be worn by officers on their tactical vest in a secure holster, making the weapon visible to inmates as a deterrent, officers told Ms Mahmood last week. They added that the device also collects data – such as how long it was discharged for – which will contribute to the trial. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. The Ministry of Justice announced in April Pava spray is due to be made available 'in limited circumstances' to a select number of specialist staff at the three public sector young offender institutions – including YOI Werrington, Wetherby and Feltham A. The Taser trial is part of a £40 million package announced last month to boost security across the prison estate, including £10 million specifically for anti-drone measures such as new netting and reinforced windows, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said on Monday. 'Officers will be subject to robust accountability measures, each deployment of a taser will be reviewed,' a spokesperson for the MoJ added. A spokesperson for the Prison Officers' Association (POA) said: 'The POA will always support any initiative that will help protect our members. 'However, as welcome as this initiative is we need to address the reasons why prison officers need Tasers in the first place. 'Violence in our prisons is out of control and apathetic prison managers would rather put the prison regime before the safety of their staff. 'We urgently need action to address overcrowding, understaffing, drugs and the other root causes of prison violence.'

King to visit nuclear transport ship in far north of Scotland
King to visit nuclear transport ship in far north of Scotland

The Independent

time18 minutes ago

  • The Independent

King to visit nuclear transport ship in far north of Scotland

The King is scheduled to visit Scrabster in Caithness, northern Scotland, on Monday. He will attend a reception to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Dounreay nuclear site, the 50th anniversary of Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL), and the 20th anniversary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). The King will unveil a plaque on the Pacific Heron, a sophisticated second-generation nuclear transport ship, and meet its crew. Dounreay served as the UK's primary centre for nuclear research and development from 1955 to 1994, focusing on experimenting with plutonium and uranium for electricity generation. PNTL, celebrating 50 years of operation, runs advanced cargo vessels between Europe and Japan and maintains a flawless nuclear safety record.

John Swinney and Donald Trump to meet in Aberdeen
John Swinney and Donald Trump to meet in Aberdeen

The National

time18 minutes ago

  • The National

John Swinney and Donald Trump to meet in Aberdeen

JOHN Swinney will use his meeting with Donald Trump to push for stronger US pressure on Israel and to seek trade concessions for key Scottish exports. Swinney is expected to urge the US president to back an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and increase humanitarian aid access during a meeting on Tuesday. The First Minister is also reported to have accepted an invitation to have dinner with the president on Monday night. Swinney is expected to make the case that the 'blunt human reality' of starvation in the enclave requires urgent international action. READ MORE: John Swinney to discuss 'horrific' Gaza humanitarian crisis with Donald Trump 'There must be an intensification of pressure on Israel,' Swinney said in a BBC interview. 'President Trump is ideally positioned – perhaps uniquely positioned – to ensure safe passage for humanitarian aid and push for a durable ceasefire. The people of Gaza face absolutely unbearable conditions.' Swinney will also press Trump to exclude Scotch whisky from the current 10% US tariff on UK exports. He argued the 'uniqueness' of Scottish whisky production merits special exemption. 'It can only be produced in Scotland. It's not a product that can be produced in any other part of the world," Swinney said. 'So there's a uniqueness about that, which I think means there is a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs arrangement that is now in place. 'Obviously the trade deal with the United States provides a degree of stability for economic connections with the United States, but the application of tariffs is increasing the costs for the Scotch whisky industry. 'So one of my objectives will be to make the case to President Trump that Scotch whiskey should be exempted from those tariffs. 'It's a product that is uniquely produced in Scotland, and it's a product that is much welcomed and supported within the United States. 'And I think there's a really good case for exempting Scotch whisky, and this is an opportunity that I have to put that case to President Trump on behalf of the Scotch whisky industry, which is a significant part of the Scottish economy.' Swinney said the tariffs are currently costing the industry around £4 million each week, describing them as a 'significant burden'. He added that reaching a deal would support economic growth and development in Scotland. 'Obviously, I'll be using every opportunity I have to try to put that across to President Trump," he continued. His interventions come as Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets Trump for broader discussions on the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the future of UK-US trade. While a recent UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal eased some barriers, tariffs on British steel remain unresolved. Industry leaders had feared a hike to 50%, but the current 25% rate still poses challenges, particularly with no new agreement following a July 9 deadline set by the Trump administration. READ MORE: Donald Trump to meet John Swinney and Keir Starmer for Gaza talks Downing Street said both governments are working "at pace" to provide long-term certainty for UK industry and deliver tangible benefits to workers on both sides of the Atlantic. Trump is also expected to discuss the war in Ukraine with Starmer, including coordinated efforts to pressure Vladimir Putin to end the invasion. After their meetings in Ayrshire, the pair will travel to Aberdeen for a private engagement. Trump struck a trade deal between the US and EU during his meeting with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Turnberry on Sunday. The agreement introduces a 15% tariff on most EU goods entering the US – down from a previously threatened 30% – and includes significant energy commitments.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store