Funding available for Winnersh Triangle Park and Ride return

The 500 service used to run every 15 minutes from Winnersh Triangle to Reading town centre

A park and ride bus service could be reinstated after a council received government grant money.

Wokingham Borough Council is considering whether to bring back the Winnersh Triangle Park and Ride service into Reading.

It could re-start from November on a trial basis but its long-term future will depend on whether it is a success.

The 500 service used to run every 15 minutes from Winnersh Triangle to Reading town centre.

But Reading Buses suspended the service in November 2021 while construction work took place to expand the car park at Winnersh Triangle.

When the work was completed, Reading Buses said passengers would be too few to be worth putting the service back on.

Passenger numbers had fallen nationally due to the pandemic and the rise in home working, and at the time Wokingham Borough Council said it could not afford to subsidise it.

But the authority has now received an £800,000 grant.

Reading Buses suspended the service while construction work took place to expand the car park

A council document revealing the plans said: "The grant funding is time limited and there is no certainty that any further funding will be provided in the future.

"If the bus service does not become commercially viable it will be stopped."

If given the go-ahead the service will begin towards the end of November with a Saturday-only service running every 20 minutes.

It will be extended to run Mondays to Fridays after April 2024 as long as there is a "reasonable chance" it is viable beyond March 2025 when the government grant funding stops.

Paul Fishwick, responsible for transport at the council, will also decide whether to open up a park and ride car park at Coppid Beech for people catching the Lion 4/X4 service on the A329 Reading Road.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].