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The Mayor of Woodley, Coling Lawley (centre), with councillors and guests at the Meet the ReadiBus event at the Oakwood Centre, in Woodley.
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Legacy leads to Woodley addition to Readibus fleet

By Laura McCardle
April 27, 2012

Around 100 people visited a special event in the Oakwood Centre, in Woodley, celebrating the latest addition to the ReadiBus fleet.

The new bus was unveiled at the Headley Road venue on Wednesday, April 11, before residents, councillors and users of the service, which provides free transport for the elderly and less mobile.

It was bought with the help of a legacy left by resident Sue Jones and its running costs will be supported by Woodley Town Council, which helps towards funding the rest of the fleet.

Peter Absolon, general manger of ReadiBus, said: “It was wonderful that so many people came along to see and hear about the benefits residents get from those who support the ReadiBus service in Woodley.

“In particular, we are supported by local resident Sue Jones, from her bequest to the service and from the town council for its long-term help with running costs.

“People who use the service really need it, benefit from it and value it and it can make an enormous difference to people’s quality of life.

“We are very appreciative of this support and backing that enables users of the service to do the normal everyday things of life that otherwise it might not be possible for them to do.”

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Most recent user comments 5 of 5

Far Far Away - I don't think we should be using this story for this debate, but I would like to note that your Comment that "it wont ultimatly do Readibus much good, and I suspect it's a loose situation for the disabled people who use this service as my good friend does - to have it used as a football in a slanging match." is just the kind of threat of retribution that I would be concerned about.

The idea of renting the bus, giving Readibus some money and allowing the Lib Dems to take their surgeries out and about in Woodley was basically sound.

The political slanging match came from a Conservative councillor.

Perhaps you could have a word with your Conserative councillor friends and make sure that the funding for Readibus is maintained by WBC and Earley Town Council

Phil Challis, woodley
30/04/2012 at 13:13

Hi,

Firstly we are agreed on something, Readibus is without a doubt an excellent service.

Secondly I appluad anyone taking the bus at comercial rates and helping Readibus especially at times when the service is quiet and the bus would otherwise be parked but I do take offense at the Lib Dems (and this would apply to any party) taking Readibus and using it for political gain, it may be a win / win situation for the Lib Dems, but it wont ultimatly do Readibus much good, and I suspect it's a loose situation for the disabled people who use this service as my good friend does - to have it used as a football in a slanging match.

I wasnt there either - I openly admit that but I heard about what happened first hand from someone who was and in whom I have trust - And it's made me a little hot under the collar, and also others I mentioned this to this morning, I suspect this call may cost your party some votes on Thursday which I am sure is what is underlying this.

I think your final comment "The last thing I would want is for Readibus’s vital core funding stream to be cut off by Conservative controlled councils acting in retribution" is a horrendously cheap shot against the many disabled people in the area, more like the Lib Dems had a good idea - but it backfired a bit and now you want an out while kicking back.

If your party are reconsidering against taking a Readibus out for political surgeries, I think that's also something we agree upon.

Far Far Away, Thames Valley
30/04/2012 at 11:57

Readibus is an excellent service, but they have spare capacity over the weekends and do allow private bookings.

Therefore Woodley Lib Dems had planned to hire the buses at commercial rates over the coming year to take our surgeries out to different areas of Woodley. The fee paid would help fund the Readibus service at the time when many other councils are cutting their funding and Lib Dems would be able to listen to more residents. A win-win situation for everyone.

Saturday outside the library was our test event for which permission had been obtained from Wokingham Borough Council officers to park the bus.

Far Far Away - I am not sure who you are, or if you were there; I wasn’t, but I am told that the spectacle of senior a Conservative councillor ripping banners off railings, throwing them onto the wet ground and taking an aggressive attitude in public was not very edifying.

The last thing I would want is for Readibus’s vital core funding stream to be cut off by Conservative controlled councils acting in retribution, so we will have to reconsider our plan to take our surgeries out and about Woodley.

Phil Challis, woodley
30/04/2012 at 10:18

While Readibus is an excellent service I strongly object to Woodley Liberal Democrats using this fine service to further their political ends, I am aware of something of a fracas (possibly over exaggerating here) on Saturday morning outside the library in Woodley where a Readibus was used as part of the campaigning by the Lib Dems for the recent election. I think the local Conservatives (presumably) quite rightly had solid grounds to complain on this point. I could not believe what went on.

I would have thought Readibus might have something in their hire documents relating to "not for political gain" and if they haven't - they should, providing the bus was hired of course.

Come on guys - this service is for the support of disabled folk across Reading, it's not for using in this manner as a football to score points over other parties in the forthcoming election - and I would say this to and about any local party which tried this cheap shot, the service is ONLY about supporting some severely disabled people

Far Far Away, Thames Valley
29/04/2012 at 23:11

As a Lib Dem Woodley town councillor I am proud of the support that Woodley Town Council has shown for Readibus over the years.

Funding for groups helping residents becomes ever more difficult. This year the Lib Dem controlled Woodley Town Council decided to focus its limited grants budget on groups that provide direct support to residents in these difficult times.

Unfortunately Conservative controlled town councils have cut funding for Readibus. This article (see link) talks about the reduced funding for Readibus from Earley Town Council

http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/s/2110242_earley_residents_urged_to_support_readibus

This year Woodley Town Council also granted the funds requested by Citizen’s Advice Bureau to allow them to continue to provide a service in Woodley Town Centre. This was made all the more important due to reduction in funding for CAB from the Conservative controlled Wokingham Borough Council recently reported n the press