West Berkshire Community Connect: On-demand Transport

Community Connect is your on-demand bus connecting rural areas of West Berkshire with Newbury and Thatcham.

It is operated by West Berkshire Council Transport Services.

Where it operates

Community Connect operates in two areas of West Berkshire.

The Northwest Downlands service connects the Northwest Downlands with Newbury Town Centre and West Berkshire Community Hospital.

The Thatcham Connect service provides a service from select villages surrounding Thatcham to Thatcham Broadway, Thatcham Station and the A4 Bath Road.

Northwest Downlands

Thatcham Connect

The two services are separate. You will not be able to travel from the Northwest Downland zone to the Thatcham Connect service area.

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Christmas and New Year arrangements 

As the festive season approaches there will be some changes to Community Connect services: 

• services will not operate on 25 December 2024 (Christmas Day), 26 December 2024 (Boxing Day) and 1 January 2025 (New Year's Day)
• services will finish at 17.30pm on 24 December 2024 (Christmas Eve) and 31 December 2024 (New Years Eve)

Free travel on two Saturdays in December 

West Berkshire Community Connect has been operating since January 2024, and as the festive season approaches and to complement the free travel being offered on public bus routes across the district, we are also offering a special FREE Saturday service on  for two dates in December.

All trips will be FREE of charge. 

It will operate on the following days and in the following locations:

• Saturday 14 December 2024 - Northwest Downlands and Newbury service
• Saturday 21 December 2024 - Thatcham Connect service

If you wish to take advantage of service you will be able to book via the passenger app, telephone or email up to 7 days in advance of the travel date, however, you will not be available to book by telephone or email after 2pm on the Friday preceding the date you wish to travel.

If you require further information, please do get in touch. 

How it works 

Community Connect is more flexible than a traditional, timetabled bus service.

Choose where you'd like to go and when, and we'll plan a journey to suit you!

The bus will collect you from bus stops or designated pick-up points in your village or connecting area.

A door-to-door service may be available for less mobile passengers - get in touch with us to discuss this:

• phone: 01635 519650
• email: communityconnect@westberks.gov.uk

The service operates Monday to Friday, but not on public holidays. It does not operate on Saturday or Sunday.

How to use the service

In the following sections you will find information on booking, planning a journey, vehicle accessibility, fares, paying for a journey, concessionary bus passes and cancelling a journey. 

For more advice about Community Connect, visit our help and guidance page. 

For help using the passenger app, visit our West Berkshire Community Connect: Using the passenger app page.

How to book

All on-demand journeys must be booked in advance. You will not be able to turn up at the bus stop and board the service without a booking.

There are three different ways to book:

• download the free app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store - visit our 'using the app' guide for help
  

• call our Community Connect team on 01635 519650
• email CommunityConnect@westberks.gov.uk

Phone calls and emails will be answered between 10am and 2pm, Monday to Friday.

You can book up to 7 days in advance. The latest you can book a journey is 30 minutes before you wish to travel.

You can make regular bookings using the app or by telephone or email. If you use the app, you will also be able to save your favourite journeys, saving you time in future.

You will be asked for a name and an email/telephone number so we can provide information about your bookings and journeys. A booking cannot be made without this information.

Our privacy notice provides further information.

Planning your journey

If using the app, it will show the closest pick-up point for your trip and let you know the walking distance. If booking by phone or email, one of the team will discuss the closest pick-up point with you.

When booking, you can either:

• select the approximate time you'd like to be collected 
  or,
• tell us the arrival time (if you have to get somewhere by a certain time)

Our smart technology will match up your journey with other passengers travelling in the same direction.

You will then be given a pickup time which is either as close as possible to the pick-up time you requested, or will make sure you get to your destination at the arrival time.

Accessibility

Our vehicles are low floor and fully accessible. The driver will be happy to lower the ramp and handrail for you.

If you use a wheelchair, please mention this when making a booking either within the passenger app or by phone/email.

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Fares

Our fares offer excellent value for money with single and return tickets:

• single: 
  • adult: £2.00
  • child/young person: £1.50
• return: 
  • adult: £4.00
  • child/young person: £3.00

Child/young person fares are for anyone under 16 (or 19 if in full-time education). Children under 5 travel for free.
 

You can buy tickets in the app or from the driver. Fares for single and return journeys are displayed in the app. You may also purchase day tickets within the app. If booking by email or telephone, you will be advised of the price for the journey, so that you can pay the driver when you get on the bus.

How to pay

If you use the app to book, you can either pay in the app or choose to pay the driver when you board the bus.

If you make the booking by phone or email, we will let you know the price and you will pay the driver when you board the bus.

Drivers will accept cash or card payments. If paying by cash, please have correct change if possible.

Concessionary bus passes

Concessionary bus passes are accepted on the service after 9.30am.

When you book, you will need to mention that you have a bus pass. The driver will ask to see this when you board the bus.

If you are unable to show a valid Concessionary Bus Pass when boarding the vehicle you will be expected to pay for your trip.

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Cancelling your journey

You may cancel a journey at any time either within the app, by calling us on 01635 519650 or emailing Community Connect.

We will refund payments for cancelled journeys up to 60 minutes before the departure time.
 

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Community Connect timetabled bus services

As well as West Berkshire Community Connect's On-demand bus services, we also operate some timetabled routes that run alongside the service. These services operate independently from the on-demand bus services.

You do not need to book these journeys as they operate like a traditional bus service - just turn up at the bus stop and board. You will not be able to track these journeys via the passenger app.
 

These services are:

Community Connect A (CCA)

This service operates Monday to Friday all year round between Brightwalton and Newbury, extending to Newbury College, Park House and St Bartholomew's Schools in college/school term time.

See our Northwest Downlands service page for further information.

Community Connect B (CCB)

This service operates Monday to Friday between Thatcham Broadway and Aldermaston with some journeys extending to Beenham. 

See our Thatcham Connect service page for further information.

Community Connect C (CCC) 

This is a shopper service operating on Monday and Wednesday between Thatcham Broadway and Calcot Sainsburys.

See our Thatcham Connect service page for further information.
 

The Community Connect timetabled services do not operate on Saturday, Sundays or public holidays.

Further help and guidance

For more advice and answers to frequently asked questions, visit our help and guidance page. 

For help using the app, visit our 'using the Community Connect app' page.
 

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Legal

You can read our terms and conditions here.

You can read our privacy notice here.
 

If you have any questions about this service, please contact West Berkshire Council by emailing Community Connect or call 01635 519650.

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West Berkshire Community Connect On-Demand Transport Services has been made possible by funding from HM Government, given to West Berkshire Council after submission of a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in October 2021.