Reading Buses is supporting Slough Borough Council’s next electric bus trial. It is the third trial of electric buses undertaken by Reading Buses, which has a large number of bio-gas buses in its fleet.
The three-month trial period, befunded by the council, begins on 26 October and will use the experimental bus and cycle lanes along the A4 in Slough to offer residents a fast, reliable and an environmental friendly bus service to and from central Slough.
The service will be operated by the company’s Thames Valley Buses team in Slough. The BYD / ADL Enviro 200 full electric demonstrator that it used on park & ride 500 last November will be returning for the trial.
Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services said: “The experimental bus and cycle lane was introduced to help residents socially distance during the ongoing pandemic alongside making road space available for active and sustainable travel.
“I am delighted we have provided the funding to now introduce a free, fast and environmentally friendly electric bus service which will operate daily along the length of the temporary lane.
“Residents often quote the price of public transport is one of the key blockers stopping them leaving the car at home and jumping on the bus. So we have taken the blocker away with this trial.
“This free service will provide residents with a speedy, frequent service into central Slough and I look forward to seeing them on the buses.”
Cllr James Swindlehurst, leader of the council, said: “We have not been shy in sharing our plans to increase the amount of sustainable travel in Slough and pledged in our 2019 manifesto to ‘create a public transport corridor for the town centre’.
“This trial actively promotes public transport as fast, free and reliable alternative to private vehicles for short journeys, which we hope will encourage residents to hop on the bus and leave the car at home when needing to travel to and from central Slough.
“This improvement in the town’s public transport offer has been made possible by creating space on our highway network and residents can expect this free bus trial to be the first step on the journey to building a better, cheaper public transport network in Slough.”
