Introducing BUZZ 18

We’re excited to announce that starting on Tuesday 2 April, we will be introducing Reading Borough Council’s brand-new route; BUZZ 18.

This new route will offer a daily service between Kenavon Drive, Central Reading, the Rivermead Leisure Centre, Portman Road, Kentwood Hill, and Tilehurst Triangle, replacing the existing BUZZ 42 route whilst also creating a brand-new route between the Rivermead Leisure Centre and Tilehurst.

The new BUZZ 18 route uses Reading Borough Council's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding from HM Government.

route

From Kenavon Drive, BUZZ 18 follows the existing BUZZ 42 route to Forbury Road then serves Friar Street stop FE. From Central Reading, BUZZ 18 will then continue towards the Rivermead Leisure Centre, where it will stop near the site of the River Academy (opening in September).

From Rivermead, it will then continue via Cow Lane and Portman Road serving new bus stops at Ashmere Terrace, Portman Road Tesco, Bridgewater Close and Stone Street. It will then run via Kentwood Hill restoring a service to the bus stops at Oak Tree Road, Derwent Avenue, Armour Hill, and Kentwood Close, and finish at Tilehurst Triangle.

Extra journeys on Monday to Fridays in the morning and evening will run as BUZZ18a between Kenavon Drive and St. Mary's Butts only.

A route map of BUZZ 18 can be viewed here.

timetable

Buses will run around every 40 minutes all day Monday to Saturday between Central Reading and Tilehurst Triangle, and up to every 20 minutes Monday to Friday (as BUZZ 18a) between Central Reading and Kenavon Drive.

On Sundays, buses will run hourly between Kenavon Drive and Tilehurst Triangle, via Central Reading and Rivermead.

A full timetable for the route can be downloaded here and will be online in our journey planner shortly.

fares

There is a range of great value fares for BUZZ 18 customers.

Between Kenavon Drive and Central Reading, a single fare will cost just £1.30 and between Central Reading and Rivermead single fares will cost just £1.60.

Single fares for the rest of the route will be just £2 thanks to the UK Government’s Help For Households scheme.

Customers making multiple journeys are even cheaper with Reading Borough Council’s great value All Reading All-Bus ticket, offering all-day travel within Reading from just £3.40 when purchased on our app or using Tap On Tap Off on the bus.

Tap On Tap Off will always give you the best fare for a day’s travel without having to plan ahead.

buses

Similar to BUZZ 9, we will be introducing BUZZ-branded buses onto the route. These green buses are powered by compressed natural gas putting out 55% less emissions than a diesel bus with a similar type of engine, and up to 82% less carbon.