West Berkshire Council wants to splash out on fitting selected bus shelters with electronic screens displaying bus arrivals, and installing new bus stops across the district to curtail Newbury's love affair with the car.

Transport managers have grown frustrated at some bus companies, for not updating information or repairing bus shelters, especially in rural areas. As a result, the council has stepped in, and will also subsidise Newbury Buses to provide full-time staff on the helpdesk in the bus station, using local radio and parish magazines to persuade motorists to switch to the bus.

In a report to be signed off on Thursday by cabinet councillor for transport Sally Hannon, the council said bus and train information had to be reliable to attract new users.

The report says: "This approach...is needed in order to give people a genuine choice between the private car and more sustainable means of travel."

The touchscreen 'kiosks' have been in use for years in other congested areas, such as Winchester and Surrey, and will be located at the bus and railway station, and possibly the tourist information office and Kennet Centre. They will replace the current announcement system - a chalkboard at Newbury bus station.

The new system is expected to be operational by next year, to prepare West Berkshire for a 20% rise in car use by 2010.