London Road bus lane (Liverpool Road to Cemetery Junction)

The bus lane on London Road was introduced on 15 August 2024. It begins at Liverpool Road and ends at Amity Road.

Who can use the bus lane?

The bus lane can currently be used by:

• Buses – either local buses or any motor vehicle constructed or adapted to carry more than eight passengers (exclusive of driver)
• Authorised vehicles – any licenced Hackney Carriage – please note private hire taxis cannot use the bus lane.
• Pedal cycles
• Motorcycles (from 13 September 2024)

Motorcyclists will be able to use the London Road bus lane (Liverpool Road to Cemetery Junction) from Friday 13 September

The council’s Traffic Management Sub-Committee previously agreed to make an experimental Traffic Regulation Order to allow motorcycles to access six new bus lanes which are being introduced across Reading. This comes into effect from Friday and will be reviewed at a later date.

Signage will be updated to show that motorcycles may use the new London Road bus lane, along with buses, licensed Hackney Carriages and bicycles.

Whose decision was it to introduce the bus lane?

The implementation of the bus lane follows over 12 months of public engagement, including local drop-in events across the borough. The Traffic Management Sub-Committee approved the implementation of the bus lane on 11 January 2024.

Why have you implemented this bus lane on such a busy route into Reading?

One of the aims of the new bus lanes is to reduce the number of unnecessary car journeys and to free up road space for necessary journeys. This will provide a benefit elsewhere on the road network, such as around the hospital and Sidmouth Street, as there will be a reduction in traffic volumes passing through Cemetery Junction.

The council believes improving the reliability, speed and frequency of bus services is key to making travelling by bus the natural choice for both residents and visitors, resulting in less congestion, fewer carbon emissions, better air quality and improved health and wellbeing for residents. However, this still requires choice and behavioural change by motorists.

The traffic has got worse since you implemented the new bus lane.

While we recognise that this change is impacting road users and residents, without making significant changes to transport infrastructure and providing suitable and sustainable transport alternatives, such as mass transit/public transport and Active Travel, car usage will continue to grow, generating greater levels of congestion within the borough. 

The implementation of this scheme is expected to have an impact, which may be worse while road users adapt to the change and find alternative routes, or means of transport, into Reading. The current closure of Church Road, Wokingham, which is another major route into Reading is also impacting current traffic flows.

What are you doing to mitigate the issues created by the new bus lane?

The council is continuing to monitor the impacts of the new bus lane on congestion and air quality in the area. Based on roadside observations at peak times, we note that there has been an impact at Liverpool Road, where vehicles are forced to merge into general traffic lane, however this has resulted in queues predominately outside the main residential areas. London Road and the surrounding roads will be monitored and any improvements identified to mitigate issues.

The council has worked alongside Wokingham Borough Council to ensure a viable bus service can run from Winnersh Park and Ride, which will significantly benefit from increased reliability due to this new bus lane. To compliment the new bus lane and services, the council has also subsidised a special offer of a £1 return trip from three Park and Ride sites in Reading and beyond, to make public transport more attractive.

Alternative travel options from the east

Further details on the various bus, train and active travel routes into Reading from the east.