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Chairman of Reading Buses Stuart Singleton-White
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Call for extra measures to help buses beat jams

By Linda Fort
January 02, 2009

The new chairman of Reading Buses is calling for more bus priority measures to help the buses beat traffic congestion in town.

Stuart Singleton-White, 45, was giving his first New Year message since taking the wheel at Reading Transport Limited on December 1.

He said he would be building on the “transformation” of the service which has taken place over the last three years.

He said: “There has been tremendous progress across many areas of the company of which we are very proud, but there is a great deal more to do and these are very challenging as well as interesting times.

“I am looking forward to working closely with the local authorities – and the people of Reading – to improve bus priority measures which will help us to improve both the reliability and frequency of services.

“As a company we can only do so much, but working in partnership with local authorities and local businesses we can do so much more to deliver continuous improvements in the services we offer customers. Quite frankly, Reading needs more bus priority measures so that we can overcome the traffic issues which dog our town. In short, we need to give the bus priority over other forms of transport.”

He added: “It is my aim to make public transport the mode of choice for as many people as possible. I am keen to build on the excellent product we have got and to continue to grow the company both in terms of passenger numbers and in terms of its finance.”

As a municipally owned company, he said Reading Transport was not driven solely by profit – though it had to be profitable – but by offering value for money to its customers and the people of Reading more widely.

He said he hoped environmental and corporate social responsibility would mark his tenure as chair.

He went on: “Public transport has a key role to play in helping people make better environmental decisions and in supporting the economy of the town to grow in a low carbon direction.

“But only if we, as a company, continue to strive to improve our own environmental performance.

"One of the biggest challenges any company faces at the moment is how to balance these social and environmental responsibilities, while remaining profitable. But it is a fact that unless business does, then the whole basis of any growth as we move out of the recession will be utterly unsustainable and very short term.”

He said this would mean Reading Transport working with other organisations, including businesses, to encourage greater use of the bus in their day-to-day activity.

He concluded: “We have a highly talented senior management team led by James Freeman and a professional staff to deliver those objectives.”

Mr Singleton-White has been a member of the board since 2001.

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Most recent user comments 5 of 5

What Reading needs is to get rid of all of the anti-car measures to stop the congestion that is slowing the buses too. The last thing we need is more bus lanes.

DM
04/01/2009 at 22:28

take it you dont use the bus then?! ever thought that more cars on the Road cause the problems as they take up more road space? Ever thought about the enviroment? Or about the people who have to use the bus as they dont/ cant drive? How about cars pulling straight out in front of buses day in day out Or the cars parking at bus stops? or the only money from our tax that goes to Reading buses is to pay for SOME late evening and sunday buses and country routes? Ever thought that their profit payes for new buses?

hornbeam, reading
04/01/2009 at 01:56

not know the meaning of give way when it comes to a bus! They could stick a 6 foot rod pointing right and still no bugger would give way!!! Bus lane the lot...keep cars on the outskirts, give us more P&R!! It drives me insaine the way car drivers treat our buses. When I was in America buses had right of way 100% and car/van/lorry etc drivers gave way and let th buses get on with their work! How the hell can a bus 'duck & dive'..who are you? Rodney Trotter!

BG, Lower Earley
03/01/2009 at 21:27

Whoever had the idea of narrowing Oxford Road in the first place should have been shot. Now people park illegally all the time, especially outside convenience stores.Articulated lorries and dustcarts don't help either and thanks to Tesco's it is surprising that traffic gets from one end to the other. God help you if an ambulance or fire engine needs to get along.

I Ron
02/01/2009 at 15:50

The buses are the biggest problems on road at present,they pull out without giving indications and they cause most traffic jams on the roads.Mr White your service is more interseted in making profits not serving the public with your extortionate fares and your subsidery from the taxpayers pool.I won't be surprised if you make the whole of Reading into a bus lane zone and still be unhappy.I followed a bus last week on oxford Road it was ducking and diving as if it was in a state of war.When are the local authorities going to give ordinary motorist a break,stop being greedy and be realistic.Over the last 10 years you have executed every plan man can think of but the end result is abysmal,so please stop wasting publics money. Lastly when are you ridding the new buses of the horrible smell a health hazzard,LONG LIVE READING MOTORISTS