The new 850 Bus Service: A Game-Changer for local travel
Cllr Katrin Harding writes:
As someone passionate about public transport, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that it took me over three years of living here to board a bus in Charvil. Until September, our bus service ran infrequently and only during limited hours. But thanks to the improved 850 service, now operated by Carousel, we now have three buses an hour on weekdays, evening services, and even a Sunday bus!
Since my first trip on the 850 to Henley, we haven’t looked back. Having a baby who hates the car definitely makes it a more attractive option, but there is a lot for everyone.
Our favourite journeys so far:
- Charvil – Henley on Thames: A fantastic option for avoiding the hassle of parking and the trek to Twyford station. Plus, the bus drops you off closer to the town centre, though further from the toddler mecca that is the Mill Meadows playground and River and Rowing Museum. Note that while the app’s live times are useful, they sometimes don’t account for heavy traffic around Henley, which can cause delays.
- Charvil – Reading Station: The introduction of the new bus lane along London Road into Reading has had its challenges, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Perhaps I was lucky but found it very easy to get the 8:38am on time from Chiltern Drive and arrive at Reading station on a Thursday before 9am.
- Twyford – Charvil: This is our most frequent journey, usually home from pre-school with my toddler loving the bus ride- especially ringing the stop bell.
Fares and Ticketing
From January 1st, the national fare cap will increase to £3 per single journey (currently £2). However, shorter journeys between Charvil and Twyford are still cheaper with a single at £1.50 and return ticket costing £2.30. A day pass for any journeys between Reading and Wargrave is £5.20. There are also weekly and monthly passes available for regular users. If you are reading this before 21st December, take advantage of free bus travel starting within Wokingham Borough on Saturdays in the run up to Christmas.
Using the Carousel App
The Carousel app is incredibly handy for checking bus times. While delays can occur due to traffic, the live updates give you peace of mind that you haven’t missed your bus.
How You Can Help
The 850 is a commercial service, so its future depends on us – the users. If you enjoy this improved service, consider making it one of your regular modes of transport. More passengers mean more reasons to keep the service running at this great frequency.
The Other Service
I have been waxing lyrical about the 850 (Reading-High Wycombe), but we do still have the 128/129 service run by Thames Valley Buses between Reading and Wokingham and the mythical Saturday 127 service to Maidenhead via Wargrave. I haven’t used this as much, but often see the buses when walking to/from Twyford. This service is financially supported by the council, and ambition is to increase the frequency to twice an hour subject to funding being available or demonstration of sufficient demand.