An alternative operator is to take over bus services connecting Greenham and Wash Common with Newbury.
This follows Reading Transport's business decision to stop running these services from 27 August.
The Newbury & District bus company, which already operates several local bus routes within West Berkshire, will take over the routes covered by services 8 and 8A which link Greenham and Pigeons Farm with Newbury, and service 12 which connects Wash Common with the town centre, with effect from Tuesday 30 August.
Newly-introduced, low-floor buses will be operated on both routes by Newbury & District. Under the new arrangements the number 12 will continue as a half hourly service, while the 8 and 8A will revert to hourly as it was before January this year. Newbury & District's service 103 also serves much of the 8 and 8A route in the Greenham area, and tickets will be able to be used across these services.
Fares on the 8, 8A and 12 services will return to the level agreed with Newbury Buses in April 2010. This marks the end to the £1.00 adult and 50p child single fares.
Newbury & District are in the process of finalising the timetable and this will be made available shortly on board the existing Newbury Buses 8, 8A and 12 services. When it is completed the timetable will also be made available at; the Council Offices in Market Street, the Tourist Information Centre at the Wharf, Newbury and Wash Common Libraries, and at the Tesco supermarket in Greenham.
David Betts, West Berkshire Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport said: "This is very good news that we have successfully appointed another operator to ensure these bus services can continue. I am grateful to Newbury & District for stepping in and taking on these routes that I know are important to the communities they serve."
Simon Weaver from Newbury & District said: "We are pleased to be able to work with West Berkshire Council to maintain the services connecting Greenham and Wash Common with the town centre for customers in these areas. We look forward to being able to develop the services further in conjunction with the Council and encourage more people to consider using the bus for some of their local journeys."
Reading Transport will retain the 6 and 6A service (Newbury - Chieveley/Hermitage - The Ilsleys) after 30 August, under the Newbury Buses branding, with no changes to the routes or timetables.
With effect from 30 August, Stagecoach will take over the Newbury to Basingstoke 'Link' service with slightly revised timetable. Copies of the timetable are available from the Council Offices in Market Street, Newbury Tourist Information Centre or from Stagecoach on 0845 121 0190.
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