Berkshire buses

County advice overview

There are three main bus operators in Berkshire. All normally operate low-floor buses, but it would be best to check with the operator before making your first journey if you are travelling with a mobility aid.

Key tips

If you have reduced mobility, or a disability, where possible plan your journey in advance so that you know:

• If the destination stop is accessible, and any arrangements you may need to make for onward travel
• Which mobility aids you will be travelling with. (Contact the bus provider if you are unsure whether you can travel with your scooter/wheelchair.)

It may also be worth considering:

• Where the nearest bus stop is and which bus number you will need
• What method of payment is accepted
• If the ticket can be bought online
• Which destination stop you need. (The bus driver should be happy to help.)

Operators

First Bus Berkshire and Thames Valley

https://www.firstbus.co.uk/berkshire-thames-valley

Operate routes from Slough to surrounding areas including Heathrow Airport, Maidenhead, Uxbridge, Windsor and King Edward VII Hospital. 

Reading Buses

https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/

Operate routes in Reading and local areas including routes from Newbury, Hungerford Thatcham and Wokingham.

Thames Valley Buses (formerly Courtney Buses)

https://www.thamesvalleybuses.com/

Operate throughout the Thames Valley Region, including Slough, Maidenhead, Wokingham, Camberley and Bracknell.

Help with cost 

Older Person’s Bus Pass

Concessionary bus passes are available for older people who have reached state pension age and are resident in Berkshire. The Older Person’s Bus Pass entitles you to free travel on bus services throughout England from 9.30am to 11.00pm, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.

Berkshire residents should apply to their local district council for their bus pass:

Bracknell Forest Council

In Bracknell Forest, your bus pass will be added to your e+ card. Further details are available here.

Reading Borough Council

Concessionary travel information

Slough Borough Council

Concessionary travel information

West Berkshire Council

Concessionary travel information

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 

Concessionary travel information

Wokingham Borough Council

Concessionary travel information

Disabled Person’s Bus Pass

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass. There is no upper age restriction for the Disabled Person’s Bus Pass. 

Berkshire residents should apply to their local district council for their Disabled Person’s Bus Pass:

Bracknell Forest Council

In Bracknell Forest, your bus pass will be added to your e+ card.

Concessionary travel information

Reading Borough Council

Concessionary travel information

Slough Borough Council

Concessionary travel information

West Berkshire Council

Concessionary travel information

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 

Concessionary travel information

Wokingham Borough Council

Concessionary travel information

Special assistance

First Bus has produced cards called Extra Help to Travel Cards and Safe Journey Cards for people who have a disability to use on their buses. They are available from travel shops or you can download one using the link below:

• Extra Help to Travel Cards
• Safe Journey Cards

Travelling with mobility equipment

Reading Buses

All Reading Buses routes are normally operated by low-floor, wheelchair-accessible buses. All buses have an entrance ramp and many can be lowered to the kerb to allow you easier access to the bus; just ask the driver to “deploy the ramp” or “kneel the bus”. 

Each bus can normally carry one wheelchair in the dedicated space. Wheelchairs must be secured and have the brake applied while the bus is moving. Wheelchair users have priority over all other passengers in using the dedicated space – please ask the driver if you need any assistance.

First Buses

All First Bus vehicles are built for easy-access with low floors.

All low floor buses have a dedicated area for wheelchair/scooter users; other passengers are required to give up the space for wheelchair/scooter users.

When your low-floor bus arrives at the bus stop, you can ask the driver to lower the step and/or ramp to allow you to board. If the bus is full or there is already a wheelchair/scooter user on board, it may not be possible to carry another wheelchair/scooter user.

All users of mobility scooters who are prospective passengers of First Bus must obtain prior approval and obtain a standard “permit for travel” prior to their scooter being carried on any bus.

Mobility scooter users will have their scooter assessed and approved as suitable for carriage on First Bus vehicles. This approval needs to cover both the design of the scooter and the ability of the user to control and manoeuvre it safely.

Mobility scooter users must be assessed and receive on-bus training from the operator before travelling on the bus for the first time.

For further information or to arrange a training session to obtain a ‘permit for travel’ contact First Bus.

Thames Valley Buses

You may travel in your wheelchair on low-floor Thames Valley Buses (you are advised to check with the operator in advance if the bus on your route is low floor) but mobility scooters are not accepted.

Assistance dogs

All recognised guide dogs and assistance dogs are allowed to travel for free on all First Bus, Reading and Thames Valley buses.

Routes and timetable links

When planning a journey by bus, things to consider might be “Where is my nearest bus stop?” and “What bus number do I need?”. You may also want to think about buying your ticket, what it will cost, can you pay by cash or card and can you buy it in advance online. Be aware that online tickets for buses are often non-refundable if you cannot make your journey.

Buses can only stop at marked bus stops, so you need to be sure where you are getting off in advance. If you are not sure, the bus driver should be happy to help you. Ask the driver to let you know when your stop is coming up. You may need to consider if the nearest bus stop is accessible if you are travelling with a scooter or wheelchair.

Local bus providers have journey planners and will be able to help you with information about your journey.

Timetables

Traveline

Traveline is a public transport information and journey planning service and is a partnership of transport companies, local authorities and passenger groups which have come together to bring you routes and times for all travel in Great Britain by bus, rail, coach and ferry and to provide it in as many different ways as possible.

You can use Traveline to plan your journey and find timetables, before you travel or during your journey. 

Contact: 0871 200 22 33 

NextBuses

The national NextBuses website will help you search for bus timetables and your nearest bus stop. You can put in your postcode to find your nearest stop and the next bus due.

SMS text: For live and scheduled arrival information for specific bus stops, text the short code (for example, brkdwtg) shown on the information panel at that stop to 84268 (a charge applies for each return text, on top of the cost of the customer’s initial text message request.)

BusTimes

The BusTimes.org website also provides bus, coach and ferry transport information – (under the heading ‘Map’, select Track buses and find bus stops).  From here you can track buses across the UK, access timetables and next departure information, view maps, bus stop details and more.