The period 2010–2019 was one of change and colour in Reading’s bus services. Many routes and liveries were altered, not just for Reading Buses but also other operators that ran longer-distance services into the town. There was expansion as Reading Buses took on the services of other operators in the middle of the decade and new operators appeared.

Author and photographer Julian Walker traces the development of the bus network in Reading, the vehicles that were introduced and the changes to the liveries as the decade progressed. With an introduction to the history of Reading Buses prior to 2010, he looks at the ‘Premier Routes’ concept, conceived and rolled out during the previous decade to give each core route its own identity and colour. This set the scene for the ‘change and colour’ of the 2010s, as routes altered – or were acquired from other operators – and the style of the branding evolved. Each year is documented and a brief outline of events post-2019 looks at the future of Reading’s buses.

This photographic survey of the bus scene in Reading during 2010–2019 will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of road transport in this area.