A BID to speed up journeys for the number 17 bus by restricting where cars can stop is set to become a permanent fixture.
The town centre red route was introduced by the council as a trial scheme in June 2020 and runs along the far east section of Oxford Road before its junction with Broad Street, south along St Mary’s Butts, and on to Castle Street, Gun Street and Minster Street, north along West Street and then east along Friar Street.
The central red route also includes Market Place, King Street and Kings Road.
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The 17 bus red route continues in east and west Reading, where it has already been made permanent.
Now the central part of the route is set to become permanent, with the council’s Traffic Management Sub-Committee to vote next week on the plans.
What is a red route and where is it in Reading?
A red route is a ‘no stopping’ restriction and has been used on major bus routes in London for many years.
Double red lines run along the number 17 bus red route, which is between Tilehurst and Wokingham Road (The Three Tuns).
The red route runs along the length of the ‘purple’ 17 bus route – the town’s busiest bus service – with nearly five million individual trips every year and nearly 100,000 trips per week.
Introduced in Reading in 2018 to speed up journeys across the town for the number 17 bus, the east side and west side of the route were made permanent in 2019.
Sample journey times for the 17 bus, taken on the eastern and western sections, show an average quicker journey time of two minutes.
What has the response been to the central part of the red route?
The council says in the first six months, it mostly received feedback from town centre businesses with concerns about loading difficulties.
In response, the council has added additional loading facilities and made other small changes, while also extending the trial period by another six months.
RBC says it has received no further objections since these changes were made.
What happens if you stop along the red route?
Drivers caught stopping on the Red Route can receive a fine of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.
At first, warning notices will be issued rather than fines in the town centre section of the route to ensure people are completely aware of the new restriction.
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Enforcement of the red route is carried out by a combination of civil enforcement officers and the council’s mobile CCTV van.
Drivers can use dedicated loading bays along the route, “which have been retained where possible”, to load or unload.
The following vehicles can 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.
Most of the restrictions are 24/7 but some are only at certain hours of the day.
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