Kent Bus Service Shakeup Could Fix Ailing Routes For Residents

Bad weather made people huddle at the bus stop. They waited at Borough Green station as the Nu-Venture number 70 bus arrived on time. It was a Monday at 10 AM. The bus offered shelter from the rain and takes riders to Tesco or appointments.

This bus runs twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays. Local funds and grants pay for it. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing. Mike Taylor helped start the bus service. He is 79 and a retired haulier.

He said without these buses, there’d be none, allowing people to get out of their homes and socialize. So, this service is really important, and the bus routes have been running for two years. Mr. Taylor chairs the Borough Green Parish Council.

They worked with other parishes on funding and got help from Kent County Council. The 12 parishes donate money, with the amount depending on their population size. The buses cost £10,000 each year. Norman Kemp runs Nu-Venture.

He said a full-time bus service would lose money, potentially costing around £200,000, which they cannot provide. They can, however, provide a lifeline. Nu-Venture is a local bus company. Tony Francis consults for Nu-Venture.

He found funding for the bus routes through councils and groups. This helps connect residents, many of whom are older and have no other way to travel, to important places. Sylvia Gell, 91, lives on the Isle of Sheppey.

Sylvia takes the Chalkwell bus to Sheerness to go to Tesco regularly. Her husband John passed away in 2009. The buses connect her to the outside world. Sylvia misses her husband dearly; they were married for 57 years.

Sylvia’s health isn’t great; she has lung disease from factory work, yet she still goes to Tesco by bus, taking the 9:45 AM bus with a cab assisting with her bags. Sylvia does her own chores and worries about bus service cuts, fearing isolation if services disappear. She contacted Chalkwell about her concerns.

In Folkestone, people wait at Middelburg Square station. They shared bad experiences with Stagecoach. Keith Sansum moved to Hythe for better buses, but those services are getting cut, leaving him feeling the service is now “rubbish” and unreliable.

Bob Mouland, 76, also complains that the buses don’t run on time and are often dirty. There is no bus service competition in this area. Private companies get public money for services, but these services sometimes get reduced.

Sean Spillane started a “Save Our Buses” campaign. He is 74 and needs the bus to get to shops. Without it, each trip costs at least six pounds. He offers an online forum for people to share problems.

The Council updated its bus plan. Kent County Council got funding for buses, over £23 million, which supports local bus services. Louise Haigh promises better bus access and wants to boost local economies.

Cllr Neil Baker says the money mainly funds school routes. Passengers feel services are still reduced, and he knows people feel cut off. Bus companies won’t run buses losing money. He wants the service to work for passengers and sees hope in devolution for local services.

Cllr Baker wants a good bus network and to build on what they have. He thinks devolution can help. He hopes funding will increase so they can really transform public transport. Devolution gives a mayor more power to advocate for improvements.

Cllr Baker wants “one badge” for bus services so they can guarantee viable services. Norman Kemp is open to devolution and supports government funding for buses. Funding is set for investment until 2029.

Mr. Kemp worries about school bus funding, which is not a guaranteed expense. Bus plans must ensure reliable routes, even for older people and school kids. Subsidies recently ended for some bus routes, and he didn’t want to abandon passengers.

Stagecoach gets public money to run buses. They state that costs for running buses have increased. Road work makes the services unreliable. Joel Mitchell manages Stagecoach South East.

He says costs have increased a lot recently, and fewer people are riding the bus. Passenger counts are lower than before Covid. They’ve had to make tough choices about routes and want to work with governments for solutions. Mr. Kemp wants to offer reliable bus services.

He wants to serve the community and stresses the need to avoid shrinking routes or losing even more passengers who currently ride.