Editing Reading Buses (section)

===Expansion and competition===
[[File:Reading Transport offices, 1985.jpg|thumb|Reading Transport offices in 1985, showing contraflow buslane in Mill Lane (now [[The Oracle, Reading|The Oracle]] shopping centre)]]
[[File:Mill Lane depot.jpg|thumb|Reading Transport's Mill Lane depot interior in 1989]]
The [[Transport Act 1980]] deregulated long distance bus services. Reading Transport took advantage of this new freedom to start a service from Reading through [[London]] to [[Southend]]. The service was [[Green Line routes X1 and X10#History|numbered X1]] and was run jointly with [[Southend-on-Sea Corporation Transport|Southend Transport]].<ref name=sctx1>{{cite web | url = http://www.sct61.org.uk/stxone.htm | title = The X1 Story | publisher = SCT61 and Richard Delahoy | date = April 2003 | access-date = 14 March 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080706115309/http://www.sct61.org.uk/stxone.htm | archive-date = 6 July 2008 | url-status = live}}</ref> In 1982 the X1 was shortened to run from Reading to [[Aldgate]] in East London, under the Goldline brand, and joint operation ceased.

As a result of the legislation that accompanied the [[Bus deregulation in the United Kingdom|deregulation of local bus services]] in 1986, the operations of Reading Transport were transferred to Reading Transport Limited, an [[arms length]] company whose shares were held by Reading Borough Council. Bus deregulation also meant that the local council no longer had any power to regulate the routes and fares of Reading Transport, nor could they prevent other operators from starting competitive services within the borough. Councillor [[Tony Page]] was appointed to chair the new company, a role he would continue to hold until 2005.<ref name=uorhd>{{cite web |url=https://www.reading.ac.uk/news/2023/University-News/Veteran-local-councillor-receives-honorary-degree |title=Veteran local councillor receives honorary degree |date=25 July 2023 |publisher=[[University of Reading]] |access-date=25 January 2025 |archive-date=30 November 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130052250/https://www.reading.ac.uk/news/2023/University-News/Veteran-local-councillor-receives-honorary-degree}}</ref>

In 1991 Reading Transport was rebranded Reading Buses.<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/2nd-may-1991/18/extra-staff-van-hool-uk-plans-to-take-on New name] ''[[Commercial Motor]]'' 2 May 1991</ref> In 1992 Reading Transport acquired the Reading and [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]] operations of BeeLine, one of the privatised successors to the state-owned [[Alder Valley]]. These acquisitions led to Reading Transport operating buses in Newbury, and in the rural areas around Reading and Newbury, for the first time. Additionally, BeeLine had operated a Reading to London service under the LondonLink name, and that was merged into the Goldline service and the resulting service renamed London Line. The Goldline name was retained for use by Reading Transport's non-scheduled service business. The London Line service ceased in 2000.

Reading Buses faced competition on Reading urban routes from 1994, when Reading Mainline, an independent company, started operations with 10 [[AEC Routemaster]]s acquired from [[Arriva Southend|Southend Transport]], later expanding to 45 Routemasters on letter-designated routes.<ref name="Countrybus">{{Cite web |title=Reading Mainline |url=http://www.countrybus.com/independent/readingmainline.htm |access-date=5 September 2024 |website=The Independent Bus}}</ref> Reading Buses initially retaliated with the registration of a new limited-stop service using [[Optare MetroRider]]s under the Fast-Line brand before introducing a low-cost unit with unbranded minibuses running against Mainline routes E, F and H.<ref name="Countrybus" /> Labour shortages created problems for the competitor, and Reading Buses acquired Reading Mainline in May 1998. Reading Transport continued to operate the Routemasters under the Reading Mainline brand until they were finally withdrawn on 22 July 2000.<ref name=bzrml>{{cite web |url=http://www.buszone.co.uk/RMainline.html |title=Reading Mainline |publisher=Bus Zone |access-date=20 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611135819/http://www.buszone.co.uk/RMainline.html |archive-date=11 June 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Countrybus" />

In December 2017, Reading Buses started to serve London again when it took over [[Green Line Coaches]] [[Berkshire bus routes 701, 702 and 703|route 702]] from Bracknell to the [[Green Line Coach Station]] at [[Victoria, London|Victoria]] via [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] and [[Slough]] from [[First Beeline|First Berkshire]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reading-buses.co.uk/articles/702-greenline-bracknell-windsor-slough-london-service/ |title=702 Green Line |website=Reading Buses |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116050307/http://www.reading-buses.co.uk/articles/702-greenline-bracknell-windsor-slough-london-service/ |archive-date=16 November 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2018 Reading Buses took over two routes (2 and 5), and won [[Slough Borough Council]] tenders for evening (4) and Sunday services (6) from First Berkshire.

In September 2018, Reading Buses purchased Newbury & District from Weavaway.<ref name="auto1">[https://cbwmagazine.com/reading-buses-acquires-newbury-district-operation/ Newbury & District] Reading Buses acquires Newbury & District operation</ref> The companies have worked together in the past, most noticeably on the Jet Black 1 service which operates between Reading and Newbury. In March 2019, [[Courtney Buses]] was purchased with 57 buses.<ref name="auto">[https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/17478256.reading-buses-agree-terms-to-purchase-courtney-buses/ Reading Buses agree terms to purchase Courtney Buses] ''Bracknell News'' 6 March 2019</ref><ref name="auto2">[https://www.wokinghampaper.co.uk/reading-buses-buys-out-courtney-buses/ Reading Buses buys out Courtney Buses] ''Wokingham Paper'' 6 March 2019</ref> In November 2019, routes 2 (which had already been withdrawn as a result of too much competition from Courtney in May 2018, but added back into the company after the purchase in March 2019) and 5 in [[Slough]] and [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] were transferred to the Courtney Buses division, with 2 other routes, which Courtney had taken over from First Berkshire (10/15) also grouped in a similar manner. However, First won the tenders for the evening service 4 and Sunday service 6 back.<ref name="CBW Merge">{{Cite web|url=https://cbwmagazine.com/thames-valley-brand-combines-with-courtney-buses/|title = Thames Valley brand combines with Courtney Buses|date = October 2019}}</ref><ref name="RB merge">{{cite web |url=https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/thames-valley-buses-and-courtney-buses-merge |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229155423/https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/thames-valley-buses-and-courtney-buses-merge |archive-date=29 December 2019 |title=Thames Valley Buses and Courtney Buses to merge - Reading Buses}}</ref>

[[File:Reading Buses Open Day 2024.jpg|thumb|Reading Buses 'Open Day' 2024 event]]