Content

To direct award a 2 year contract to Carousel
for additional Sunday journeys between the core hours of 8:30am and
4:30pm on 850 bus route between High Wycombe and Reading, via
Wargrave, Twyford and Charvil.

Reasons for the decision

The 850 service is operated commercially and
there is no competition for the route in Wokingham Borough. The
contract cost will be paid for using only Bus Service Improvement
Grant / Bus Grant Funding.
The enhancement is in line with Policy 1A in the Bus Service
Improvement which was approved at Executive in July 2024.
The value of the 2-year contract is within the de minims limits for
local bus services as set out in the Public Services Obligations in
Transport Regulations 2023.
The funding approval and ability to award comes under 13.3.3.2 and
11.3.9 of the constitution and is significantly less than
£500,000 which is within Director’s remit
financially.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing - this would provide no benefit to
the residents of Wokingham who live on the 850 route, although the
small amount of Bus Service Improvement Plan funding might be used
to support a journey elsewhere in the borough, but unlikely to be
sufficient for a long distance journey.
An Open Tender - this would delay the implication of the
enhancement, which is timed for the February 2025 timetable change.
There is also no other operator who provides journeys between
Reading, Twyford and Henley.