Winnersh Triangle park and ride users will demand answers from Wokingham Borough Council on the future of the suspended service.

Reading Buses, which once ran the 600 service from Winnersh Triangle to Reading town centre, confirmed recently it had no plans to reinstate it—despite the council spending millions of pounds on extending its car park.

The council embarked on a £6.8 million project to extend the car park in 2021, hoping to facilitate more people to use the service. Reading Buses then suspended the service while construction took place.

But now, with construction apparently completed, the additional spaces aren’t open to the public—and Reading Buses says it “lacks the means” to fund putting the service back on.

The company said it would take a long time for demand for the service to regrow, and that use of park and rides nationwide had fallen since the pandemic.

In a statement earlier this month, it said securing the funding was ultimately “a question of priorities for Wokingham Borough Council".

READ MORE: Winnersh Triangle park and ride bus service in doubt

Resident Heather Howath is set to call on Wokingham Borough Council to reinstate the service, with a question at a full council meeting this Thursday, May 18.

She asks: “We have been waiting for 19 months for the Winnersh Park and Ride to resume the 500 bus to Reading. A lot of money has been spent and what for, may I ask?

“I travel on this bus service regularly to Reading and the bus was very popular. It was the most convenient way to Reading without taking my car.”

Adding that other alternatives are either too far away from Winnersh, too infrequent, or too lengthy, she continues: “What a White Elephant and waste of money the car park is unless the 500 Park and Ride Bus continues to run. Please reinstate our number 500 Park and Ride Bus.”

Brian Mooney, 82 from Colemans Moor Lane, Woodley, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he used to use the bus “at least three times a week.”

“I remember there used to be a double decker bus and you couldn’t get a seat,” he said. “How do they know there’s no uptake? How do they know until they restore the bus service?”

He added: “I can’t believe they spent £6.8 million on it. It’s beautifully laid out, but nobody’s there. It’s such a waste of money. It’s unbelievable.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted Wokingham Borough Council for comment.