A SHUTTLE bus will be provided to residents who feel "restricted" to their homes due to road closures in place.

The new service was added after a number of elderly and vulnerable people complained because the nearest bus stop is a four mile walk.

South East Water's £1.4 million project to revamp the water network around Finchampstead has seen a series of road closures in Nine Mile Ride in Crowthorne, Gorse Ride South and Billing Avenue.

READ AGAIN: California Country park shuttle buses for residents

So far, the closures has meant Reading Buses has had to provide shuttle buses from various locations in Wokingham to avoid the current works taking place in Nine Mile Ride.

Reading Buses are currently providing diversion routes from Gorse Ride to California Country Park and Park Plane.

However, residents have complained to say there is no shuttle bus at Sheerlands Road which is where passengers could reconnect to the full Leopard Route service.

Vince Sturt from Wokingham is pleased with the news that there will be a shuttle bus after he found it "unacceptable" that elderly and vulnerable residents were being restricted to their homes.

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He said: "I am pleased to have something in place but this does not start until February 3 and there is no timetable yet for this shuttle so still waiting on that.

"I live on California Country Park Homes and we have a number of elderly and vulnerable people who can in no way walk that far and also restricts there access to the doctors surgery, hospital and local shops."

Before the planned shuttle bus, the nearest bus stop was four miles away at Hogwood Industrial Estate.

The temporary buses will travel between the Country Park and Sheerlands Road, from February 3, and will allow residents to access their usual bus services to Reading or Bracknell.

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Jeremy Dufour, project manager, said: “We have worked closely with Reading Buses throughout this project and I’m pleased we have been able to provide a new shuttle service to help residents in California Country Park.

“I am really sorry about any disruption caused but our work to revamp the water network in the area is essential in order for us to maintain tap water supplies in the future."