Schools
We are delighted to be making some significant improvements to the way we run the various services we provide for local schools in the area for 2019-20, making them easier to use and understand.
Simplified Ticket Range
We are simplifying ticketing by merging our “Silverstars” and “Silverstars Plus” tickets for school services into our normal “Boost” fares for young people within the relevant ticket zone. This creates a product range that works better for young people, removing the confusion caused by the current range of tickets and allowing the flexibility to use our wider network when desired without any extra cost.
In addition, 90 day tickets will be replaced by term passes covering a simple standard “Reading Buses term” of 1 September – 31 December, 1 January to Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday – 31 July each year. The term pass is priced based on the number of school days each year and include all non-school days for free!
Academic year tickets will be extended to cover the full calendar year, giving access to the relevant ticket zone during the summer holiday for free.
There will be some slight increases to Boost ticket prices to reflect the integration of the Silverstars tickets, but still maintaining a significant discount compared to adult fares.
The new prices to schools from 2 September 2019 are below.
If your school is in the simplyNetwork zone (or you are travelling into the simplyReading zone from the simplyNetwork zone) you will need a simplyNetwork product. If you are travelling exclusively within the simplyReading zone, you will need a simplyReading product.
| duration | where to buy | simplyReading | simplyNetwork |
|---|---|---|---|
| single trip | on bus or app | £1.50 | Varies by route |
| 10 single trips | online or app | £13 | not available |
| all day ticket | on bus or app | £2.70 | £4 |
| 7 day | online or app | £12 | £16 |
| 30 day | online or app | £45 | £61 |
| term | online | £150 | £185 |
| Annual* | online | £395 | £495 |
* The Annual tickets will also be available to buy in 10 monthly instalments to help spread the cost of our best value ticket. Just select this option on checkout - please note, this feature will be available from 31 July. An annual ticket will start from when you receive it in the post, so please be aware of this when choosing when to order it.
New Route Numbers
To help simplify our normal timetables, and identify which bus to catch to school, journeys that go a different way to serve specific schools will receive a separate number. They will be known as the Silverstars routes.
The new numbers for all our school buses are below, most routes themselves will stay the same as current.
The timetables for all routes (including our suggestions for potential alternative transport on our core routes where applicable) will be available shortly.
| old number | new number | route (main schools in bold) | ticket zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 981 | 81 | Caversham Heights - Caversham - Kendrick School - St Joseph's College - Lower Earley - Bulmershe School | simplyReading |
| 22S | 82 | Caversham Road – Caversham Heights – Emmer Green – Highdown School (Reading zone) – Chiltern Edge School | simplyNetwork |
| 23S | 83 | Caversham Road – Caversham Park – Chiltern Edge School | simplyNetwork |
| 25S | 84 | Reading – Amersham Road – Peppard Road – Emmer Green– Highdown School (Reading zone) – Chiltern Edge School – Peppard Common | simplyNetwork |
| 16S | 85 | Reading – Norcot – Little Heath School | simplyReading |
| 33S | 86 | Ford’s Farm – Southcote – Meadway – Little Heath School | simplyReading |
| 26L | 87 | Reading – Southcote – Beansheaf – Calcot – Little Heath School | simplyReading |
| 15T | 88 | Reading – Tilehurst – Calcot – Theale Green School | simplyNetwork |
| 28S | 89 | Tilehurst – Purley – Pangbourne – Tidmarsh – Theale Green School | simplyNetwork |
| 26T | 90 | Reading – Southcote – Beansheaf – Calcot – Theale Green School | simplyNetwork |
| New | 91 | Kentwood Circle – Oxford Road – Reading Girls School | simplyReading |
| New | 92 | Wokingham – Eastheath – Finchampstead – Eversley – Eversley Cross – Bohunt School | simplyNetwork |
| leopard 3 | 93 | Shinfield Park – Earley – Winnersh - Wokingham – Barkham – Finchampstead – Bohunt School | simplyNetwork |
changes by school
Changes affecting Bohunt School
The new academic year sees Bohunt grow to its full capacity and this, combined with a non-standard timing of the school day, means that the leopard 3 service will no longer be able to divert to serve the school.
Students travelling from Reading can still use leopard 3, using bus stops near Hogwood Industrial Estate and then walking along the recently opened safe walking route to/from the school. The leopard 3b to/from Bracknell is also within walking distance in the same way. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough students travelling from these areas to justify a separate service.
Please note: We understand that substantial roadworks are being planned for September, which will affect our ability to serve Hogwood Industrial Estate. These works are outside of our control, and further information will be provided as soon things are confirmed.
The great news is that we are introducing two new, dedicated, services 92 and 93 to/from the school grounds from other areas:
- 92 Wokingham, Eastheath, Finchampstead, Eversley, Eversley Cross
- 93 Shinfield Park, Earley, Winnersh, Wokingham and then replacing the existing Leopard route Wokingham, Barkham, Finchamptead.
The school is in the simplyNetwork ticket zone.
Changes affecting Bulmershe School
No changes, except the 981 is renumbered 81. The school is still accessible via orange 13 & 14 as current. The school is in the simplyReading ticket zone.
Changes affecting Chiltern Edge School
The pink 22S, berry 23S and pink 25S are renumbered 82, 83, 84.
The new route 84 will run up to 15 minutes earlier than now to improve reliability arriving at the school. Routes 82 and 83 are otherwise the same as now. The school is in the simplyNetwork ticket zone.
Changes affecting Denefield School
No changes - the school is still accessible via sky blue 15a & 16 as now. The school is in the simplyReading ticket zone.
Changes affecting Highdown School
The pink 22S and pink 25S are renumbered 82 and 84.
The new route 84 will run up to 15 minutes earlier than now to improve reliability arriving at the school. Route 82 is otherwise the same as now.
The school is still accessible via berry 23 & 24 as now. The school is in the simplyReading ticket zone.
Changes affecting Gillots School
We will no longer run the 145 from Woodcote, but the same service is provided by Whites Coaches.
Changes affecting Little Heath School
No changes, except the sky blue 16S, yellow 26L & royal blue 33S are renumbered 85, 87 & 86. The school is still accessible via royal blue 33 as now. The school is in the simplyReading ticket zone.
Changes affecting Theale Green School
No changes, except the sky blue 15T, yellow 26T & route 28S are renumbered 88, 90 & 89. The school is still accessible via jet black 1 as now. The school is in the simplyNetwork ticket zone.
Changes affecting Reading Girls School
We have worked with the school who are supporting a new, direct service from Kentwood and Oxford Road to the school avoiding the town centre. This will be numbered 91.
other schools
We also runs buses on our main network (and the buses above) to the following schools: Abbey School, St Joseph’s College, Kendrick School, Blessed Hugh Faringdon, John Madejski Academy, Maiden Erlegh School (Earley and Reading), Prospect School, Reading College, Reading School, Reading Girls School, UTC Reading, The Wren School and Waingels College. We also serve Willink School amongst many others in the simplyNetwork zone.
