Town to get eight more electric buses

A town is set to get another eight electric buses and four charging points thanks to £1.3m of funding from central government.

The buses will operate on the yellow 26 route between Reading town centre and Calcot.

The buses will arrive in summer 2026, when they will join the existing fleet of 24, which are due to start running on the purple 17 and claret 21 routes in August.

Lead councillor for transport John Ennis said the funding announcement was "excellent news" and the new buses would make travelling by bus more appealing.

"The number of people travelling around Reading by bus is on the increase and the introduction of these new double-deckers will provide a smooth, comfortable journey for passengers while having zero impact on air quality," he said.

The funding from the Department for Transport follows a successful joint bid by Reading Borough Council and Reading Buses.

Robert Williams, chief executive officer of Reading Buses, said he was "delighted".

"Our new electric buses promise to bring significant improvements to the journey experience for our customers, from a smoother ride to full air-conditioning provided by an electric heat pump," he said.

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