Priestwood Residents Fight Lifeline Bus Cuts

A Priestwood resident has protested plans to cut a ‘lifeline’ bus service she needs to get to the doctor.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council is facing a large budget shortfall and has been told to find savings. The borough gets a much lower government subsidy than other places because it is considered one of the best places to live in the country. Councillors are being urged to save about £248,000 by axing three under-used, heavily subsidised routes: the 299, the 598 and the 151/151A.

Some services are so uneconomical they cost the council an extra £16.86 per passenger. Bus number 299, which links Priestwood and Warfield to Bracknell, is believed to cost the council more than £13 per passenger and runs only three times a week — but for some vulnerable and older people it is their only transport.

Councillor Mary Temperton (Labour) says she is against cuts to buses. She said: “We need buses. The best bus ever is the one at the bottom of your street, so you don’t need to look at the timetable because you know it’s regular.” She added: “It’s good to use S106 money to build the bus route, set up the service, and make Thames Valley Buses advertise their routes more. Older people need to feel they can leave their house and still feel independent and mobile.”

Priestwood resident Rose Chanel, 84, who relies on the 299, told reporters: “It’s very important. I’m 84. It’s my only method of transport. It’s a lifeline for me. How am I supposed to get to the doctors, the dentists and get my shopping? I don’t drive. I’ve recently had a knee operation and I have to go to the doctors’ quite a lot. When I get on the bus, the numbers aren’t low. There’s at least one person who uses the bus to get to work.”

MP Peter Swallow said: “Local bus services are vital to our community. The government has set out new powers for councils to take control of bus services and deliver the best outcomes for residents through its Better Buses Bill. I welcome that the council will be running a Bus Review this year to hear directly from residents about how services can be improved.”

Andrew Hunter, executive director of place for Bracknell Forest, said: “Bracknell Forest Council is facing a £10.1m budget gap in 2026/27. As a result, we must look very carefully at how the budget can be balanced, including possibly stopping or reducing some non-statutory services. One proposal is to withdraw three very low-use, high-cost bus routes (the 151/151A, 299 and 598) which are no longer financially sustainable. If agreed by council, this proposal would save in the region of £248,000 a year. No final decision has been made, and we are inviting service users to take part in a consultation on the potential impact of withdrawing these services. The consultation is open until 1 February 2026.”

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter