www.buszone.co.uk
March 2011
< Last Month | News Archive | Next Month >
Reading Half Marathon
20-03-11
The half marathon saw the usual set of diversions and service suspensions around Reading today. As appears to have become usual, Reading Buses operated a number of shuttle bus services for the event including a free service between the Station and the course start/end point at the Madejski Stadium. Marathon publicity quoted that there would be "34 free shuttle buses running constantly between the Madejski Stadium and Reading Station from 7.00 am to 2.30pm", but with a gap between 0920 and 1030 due to road closures for the race. Other services operated between the Foster Wheeler car park and the Stadium, and elsewhere.
832 and 853 about to hoover up the crowd that had formed at the Station during the 0920-1030 gap. Buses all displayed route 79 destinations.
808 having dropped off a load from the Stadium. This photo doesn't give any clue that the service was in fact incredibly busy!
Route 17 was diverted via the Station in both directions, allowing this unusual shot of 1106 and 1102 passing each other with opposite destination displays. Very logically, buses to Wokingham Road used stop SC as they do at night, whilst those to Tilehurst used stop SE next to the 15/16 stop. Also still visible are the stop numbers that were applied for the rail replacement over Christmas.
Another opportunistic shot, this time comparing various flavours of orange. 851 and 203 were loading at stop SA due to the temporary closure of Friar Street for the runners, whilst Arriva had 'Orange Route' Optare Versa 2402 out on the 800. There is even an orange Sainsbury's carrier bag in the road!
Today also marks the start of the last four weeks of operations from Station Hill before the area is closed off permanently to create the new Station entrance. Work around the Town Centre is progressing rapidly, with the foundations for a number of the new bus shelters now in place, along with the road markings to allow Friar Street West, West Street and St Mary's Butts to become two way for buses. Details about the revised bus routes around the Town Centre have also started to become available this week, giving an indication of some of the service changes that will be taking place at the same time.
< Last Month | News Archive | Next Month >