This booklet has been produced by: E GettingGetting D I There!There! U Passenger Transport www.westberks.gov.uk/transport G in West Berkshire This information made available on request in T large print, on , in braille or oer languages. R West Berkshire Council acknowledges with thanks the assistance provided in O the publication of this booklet by West P Berkshire Disability Alliance, S ‘It’s My Life’ Independent N Self Advocacy Group and the A West Berkshire Learning Disability R Partnership Board. TRANSPORT GUIDE TRANSPORT T Including services for people with restricted mobility Although every effort has been made to ensure all information in this booklet is correct at the time of going to print, West Berkshire Council cannot be held responsible for any loss or inconvenience caused by April inaccuracies or omissions. 2008 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Introduction 1 This guide is designed to overcome some of the barriers to using public transport by Blue Badge Scheme 2 introducing the various choices. Car & Minibus Schemes 3-7 Telephone numbers are given for the service Dial-a-Ride 8-9 providers so that you can talk to them about your particular requirements and find out how they Hospital Travel Benefit 10 H can meet your needs. Information can be Berkshire Disability accessed electronically via the Internet or email. Information Network 10 Computers can be used at public libraries. Why Use The Bus? 11 ? It is especially hoped that this guide will widen Bus Service Operators 12-13 horizons for people who have restricted mobility and for their friends and relatives. West Berkshire Public Service Transport Map 14-17 Please tell us whether you think it is easy to Concessionary Fares Scheme 18-22 use, and also if you find the information has Shopmobility 23 gaps or details have become out of date. Buses to Hospitals 24 Call-A-Bus Services 25 Community Care Transport 26 Taxis and Private Hire Cars 27 British Red Cross 28 write to: Transport Services Team South Central Ambulance BUS Service NHS Trust 29 West Berkshire Council, Faraday Road, Rail Services - Enquiries 30-31 Newbury Accessible Stations 32 RG14 2AF Useful Transport Telephone 01635 503248 Numbers 33 Email: [email protected] 1 BLUE BADGE CAR & MINIBUS PARKING SCHEME SCHEMES IN The familiar orange badge has been WEST BERKSHIRE replaced by a new European-style blue badge. (Orange badges COMMUNITY CAR SCHEMES expired on 31 March 2003). Volunteers, using their own cars, work to help The European Union Disabled elderly and disabled people who are Parking Blue Badge Scheme unable to use public services and who do not have access to provides parking concessions private transport. for people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as These are not taxi services and at least 48 hours drivers or as passengers. notice should be given when making a booking. Contributions are requested to cover the The scheme also applies to running cost of the vehicle. Often travel tokens registered blind people and to people with can be accepted. severe upper limb disabilities that regularly drive a vehicle but cannot turn a steering wheel I have a wheelchair! by hand. Mostly the cars are privately owned. Some will take a foldaway chair. You will need to discuss Blue badges are issued by local Community your requirements with the operator before Services departments and they usually enable they take your booking. holders to park closer to shops, and in some restricted areas. COMMUNITY MINIBUS SERVICES Applicants do not need to own a car, or even to Community minibus schemes are often assisted hold a driving licence, in order to get a badge. financially by the local Council. They are The Blue Badge is issued to an individual so primarily intended for group bookings, although that other people may drive them and display if space is available individual bookings may the badge when parking. also be taken. Whilst the focus is on the elderly and mobility impaired people, these schemes For further information please telephone tend to provide specific West Berkshire Community Services: solutions that complement the public bus services. Newbury Snags 0845 601 4726 Community Minibus Services are provided by or Theale voluntary organisations. They are committed to providing this service, but are only able to help 0118 930 2777 where volunteer drivers are available. 2 3 LIST OF ALL Carebus Volunteer Group: 52 Parkers Corner, Englefield, WEST BERKSHIRE Reading RG7 5JR Telephone: 0118 930 4837 COMMUNITY E-mail: [email protected] Contact: Graham Reeves TRANSPORT SERVICES Area covered: Aldworth, Ashampstead, Basildon, Beenham, Bradfield, Bucklebury, Englefield, The following symbols are used on this page to Holybrook, Pangbourne, Purley, Stanford Dingley, represent different services: Streatley, Sulham, Tidmarsh, Tilehurst, Theale & Yattendon. Car scheme Minibus group travel Chapel Row Community Service Group: Accessible car Minibus with scheme passenger lift Telephone: 0118 971 3334 Contact: Georgina Cardy 24-hour answering Times: Mon, Wed, Fri 0930 – 1130 service Area covered: Bucklebury, Upper Bucklebury, Woolhampton, Midgham, Lower Padworth, Please note that all operators listed, with the Beenham & Brimpton. exception of Readibus, need a few days notice to prepare for a particular journey request. Readibus provide a ‘dial-a-ride’ service which means that you Downland Volunteer Group: can book your journey on the day you wish to travel. c/o The Surgery, High Street, Compton RG20 0AJ British Red Cross: Handybus: 01635 202519 90 Eastern Avenue, Reading RG1 5SF Car scheme: 01635 578394 Telephone: 0118 929 0519 Times: Mon-Fri 1000 – 1200 Fax: 0118 966 6689 + Ambulance Area covered: Within the area generally bounded by Times: Mon-Fri 0900 – 1700 Winterbourne, Fawley, Aldworth, Ashampstead, Area covered: Greater Reading, Newbury, Thatcham Frilsham & Chieveley. and further afield. Burghfield and Mortimer Volunteer Bureau: Hungerford Chain: Contact: Elaine Lombard on Unit 9, Kennet House, 19 High Street 0118 983 1814 (enter by Church Street), Times: Mon-Fri 0930 – 1130 Hungerford RG17 0NL Area covered: Burghfield & Mortimer. Handybus: 01488 683304 or 682747 Car scheme: 01488 683727 Burghfield and Mortimer Handybus: Contact: Office Staff Contact: Martyn Sheppard on Times: Mon-Fri 0900 – 1100 0118 983 6611 Area covered: Eddington, Leverton, Froxfield, Area covered: Burghfield & Mortimer. Hungerford & Hungerford Newtown. 4 5 Kintbury Volunteer Group: Standby Volunteer Group: 2 Thatchers Yard, Kintbury RG17 0JG The Surgery, Cock Lane, Southend Bradfield, Telephone: 01488 657119 Reading RG7 6HR Contact: Heather Turner Telephone: 0118 974 4972 Times: Mon-Fri 0900 – 1100 Contact: Fred Syrett Area covered: Kintbury locality and catchment area Times: Mon and Wed 1000 – 1200 of Kintbury Surgery. Area covered: Bradfield, Theale, Englefield, Minibuses with passenger lifts are also available Stanford Dingley, and westward journeys from Calcot. through an agreement with Hungerford Chain. Lambourn Volunteer Group: Thatcham Volunteer Bureau: Telephone: 01488 71536 or 72119 20 Gilbert Court, Thatcham, RG18 3AG Contact: Mrs J McCarthy Car scheme: 01635 862306 Times: Mon and Thurs 1000 – 1200 Handybus: 01635 874666 Area covered: Aldbourne, Lambourn, Upper Lambourn, Times: Mon-Fri 1000 – 1200 Welford, Great Shefford, Wickham, Eastbury & Area covered: Thatcham, Cold Ash, East Garston. Ashmore Green & Woolhampton. Pangbourne and District Volunteer Centre: Thatcham Volunteer Centre also has a Chairman The Village Hall, Station Road, Car available (a people carrier modified to provide Pangbourne RG8 7DY accommodation for a wheelchair and easy access Telephone: 0118 984 4586 for disabled people). To request this vehicle, call Times: Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri 0930 – 1130 the Handybus number: 01635 874666 Area covered: Purley, Whitchurch, Sulham, Upper Basildon, Lower Basildon, Ashampstead, Volunteer Centre West Berkshire: Pangbourne & Tidmarsh. Hospitals / Shopping. 1 Bolton Place, Newbury RG14 1AJ ReadiBus: Website: www.volunteerwestberks.org.uk Cradock Road, Reading RG2 0QX E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 0118 931 0000 (bookings & enquiries) Car scheme: 01635 49004 Fax/Answerphone: 0118 987 6373 Mon - Thur 1000 - 1300, Fri 1000 - 1230 E-mail: [email protected] Handybus: 01635 37111 Mon - Fri 0930 - 1230 Website: www.readibus.co.uk Shopmobility: 01635 523854 Times: Booking 0900 – 1500; enquiries 0900 – 1700 Tues-Sat 0930 – 1600 Area covered includes: Brimpton, Burghfield, Area covered: Crookham, Greater Reading, Hermitage, Lower Newbury, Bagnor, Curridge, Basildon, Mortimer, Newbury, Pangbourne, Streatley, Donnington, Greenham, Shaw, Speen, Stockcross Thatcham, Greenham, Woolhampton & Yattendon. and further afield. VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED If you or someone you know has a little spare time, say a couple of hours a week, volunteer driving is a very enjoyable, rewarding and valuable way of helping your community. Please contact your Local Voluntary Community transport scheme to become involved or the Volunteer Centre West Berkshire on 01635 49004. 6 7 DIAL A RIDE SCHEDULED The ReadiBus West Berkshire Dial-a-Ride provides a door-to-door service for people with SERVICES restricted mobility that cannot use ordinary public transport. Readibus also operates scheduled weekday services for villages in the Reading to Weekday bookings are accepted the previous Newbury corridor. These services collect day and weekend bookings can be made people from their home for shopping in anytime the previous week. Newbury