Office move to Thames Valley Park.

I’m to move offices from Camberley to Oracle’s offices in Thames
Valley Park, Reading.

My current commute is by bicycle, on an average day I travel approximately 5 miles and do the trip in under 25 minutes. The distance and time very much depend on the weather as I do enjoy my ride in through the woods in the area. But how am I to get to TVP?

It seems I have a few options:

• Bus: Number 72 will take me from Fleet, Reading Road South to
  Reading Station in approx. One hour. Cost £7 return.

• Train: From Fleet station to Reading station via Basingstoke in
  approx one hour.

• Car: Only I currently share a car with the wife. In the interest
  of the environment I would like to car-share.

• Bicycle: Approximately 17 miles door-to-door, I estimate it will
  take 1 hour and 45 mins

• Work From Home:

I’m thinking that I would ideally like to continue to cycle. But I have to confess its been a while since I road that sort of distance and even longer since I rode it on roads.

I imagine the easiest method would be car. Travel time I’d expect to be under an hour, say 40 minutes. Though picking up others for the car share could well add some time to that.

Putting the idea of a car-share on hold for the moment The train seems like a good option, I’d cycle to the Station on the Brompton and then take the train. Each train only takes around quarter-of-an-hour but to that there is a waiting time at the start and middle stations which takes the total travel up to around an hour. Plus the possibility of missing a connection. I shall of course try the train another day.

So today I’m trying the bus. I cycled up to the bus stop on Reading Road South, arrived at 8:05. I brought the bike as I’m undecided on my return route at this time; for a start the bus is rather infrequent and I’m not sure if I’m going to take the Oracle bus from the station or cycle down the river path.

First thoughts – Very friendly bus driver – to the passengers at least, very uncomfortable seat. There is a parcel shelf where I stow the bike so that is at least not under my feet. Towards the end of the journey I’d imagined a bus lane ran through Reading. But the bus takes a detour down side streets (Basingstoke Road) collecting other passengers. At west hill Tobacco smell causes my nose and throat to twinge – Yes it non-smoking but those smells linger.

Noted times:

• 8:14 Bus arrives
• 8:22 Fleet Station
• 8:35 Exit Elvemeheath
• 8:38 Hartley Witney
• 8:43 Pub Shoulder of Mutton?
• 8:48 Wellington Country Park – Riseley. (Erm 30mph???)
• 9:04 M4 Junction
• 9:17 West Hill?
• 9:20 Bridge Street – The Oracle (shopping centre).
• 9:23 Station – drivers says 10 mins late.

As I get off the bus the Thames Valley Park courtesy bus service is there so I jump on. I really shouldn’t have on such a lovely day – but its bus day. Driver tells me the service runs every 8 minutes. Four other passengers also get on. Lots of space for bike in wheelchair spaces and two parcel shelfs – though the shelfs are four feet off the floor. A bus lane is provided for part of this journey along Kings Road. I’m told the service is rather busy in the mornings and afternoon. I intend to cycle up the river path to get back this afternoon.

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To which I did, it only took around ten minutes along the river path on Sustrans route 4 and 5.. I got the bus as far as Elvetham Heath and cycled the last two miles directly – where as the bus goes around the houses – and thus took ten minutes off the morning journey.