A stopping restriction to speed up journeys for the number 17 bus will be made permanent on Sunday (November 17).

Thousands of fines have been handed out to drivers for stopping on the red route in west Reading during its trial over the last year.

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A red route is a ‘no stopping’ restriction and has been used on major bus routes in London for many years.

Introduced in Reading in 2018 to speed up journeys across the town for the number 17 bus, the east side was made permanent in March.

Drivers caught stopping on the Red Route can receive a fine of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.

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Drivers can use dedicated loading bays along the route to load or unload.

In September 2017, the council’s Traffic Management Sub-Committee gave approval for a red route trial divided into 3 sections – West, East and Central.

The east side was made permanent in March and the west will follow on Sunday.

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The town centre part of the route has not yet been implemented.

Councillors agreed to make the west side of the route permanent in September, and it will now come into force on Sunday.

Councillor Tony Page, lead member for Strategic Environment and Transport, said the red route scheme could be extended to other bus routes in the future.

Double red lines run along the number 17 bus route, which is between Tilehurst and Wokingham Road (The Three Tuns).

The following vehicles are able to stop within the Red Route:

  • Buses
  • Universal postal services (such as Royal Mail)
  • Refuse Vehicles
  • Emergency Services
  • Holders of valid disabled persons parking permit (Blue Badge) may set down or pick up
  • Registered Taxis and some private hire vehicles can stop to drop off and pick up passengers

Below are the roads in west Reading where you can be fined for stopping. Varied restrictions are in place on specific sections on each road.

There are also some roads listed where you can stop but cannot wait – e.g. you can drop off or pick up a passenger.

Most of the restrictions are 24/7 but some are at certain hours of the day.

Some roads have multiple restrictions. For example, Oxford Road has eight different types of restriction.

Full details of the types of restrictions and which parts of the road they are on are available on the council website here.

Roads on west side of red route:

Albany Road

Alfred Street

Alma Street

Argyle Street

Armour Road

Beecham Road

Belmont Road

Beresford Road

Berkshire Drive

Birch Avenue

Bloomfield Road

Blundells Road

Brock Gardens

Chapel Hill

Chester Street

Church End Lane

Cranbury Road

Connaught Road

Constitution Road

Corwen Road

Downing Road

Dunstall Close

Edinburgh Road

Elm Park Road

Eston Place

Gordon Place

Gower Street

Grovelands Road

Howard Street

Kensington Road

Kentwood Hill

Lawrence Road

Links Drive

Little John’s Lane

Lorne Street

Mayfair

Norcot Road

Pangbourne Street

Park Lane

Pottery Road

Prospect Street

Recreation Road

Russell Street

Salisbury Road

Shaftesbury Road

St. George’s Road

Tidmarsh Street

Trinity Place

Recreation Road

Romany Lane

School Road

Tidmarsh Street

Valentia Road

Wantage Road

Waylen Street

Western Elm Avenue

Westwood Road

Wilson Road

Zinzan Street