Kent County Council bus service cuts criticised by opposition parties

Opposition politicians have criticised Kent County Council's proposed withdrawal of support for some bus routes

Cuts to supported bus services across Kent have been described as a "managed decline" by opposition councillors.

Nearly 40 routes facing the axe from the end of October are subsidised by Kent County Council (KCC).

The cuts were debated at a full council meeting, along with plans for a new transport strategy for Kent.

Conservative-controlled KCC has received £35m from the government for its Bus Improvement Plan, but cannot use this to support existing routes.

Green councillor Mark Hood said: "We are now talking about the managed decline of our bus services.

"We need an urgent campaign to increase passenger numbers on our remaining services on the basis of 'use it or lose it'."

KCC will give notice to subsidised bus operators this month as threatened services include Chalkwell's number 9 bus in Sittingbourne and Go Coach's 474/5 from Bluewater to Longfield.

Private bus operators have also made separate decisions to cut some bus services this year.

In April, Stagecoach revealed plans to axe several school and village services across Canterbury.

'Wrong direction'

Barry Lewis, Labour's shadow cabinet member for transport on KCC, said the bus cuts were "going against" the council's ambitions, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He said: "Last week, the transport cabinet member went completely against the local transport plan by cutting £2.2m of bus services."

Liberal Democrat county councillor Ian Chittenden, the group's transport spokesman, said: "The reduction in bus journeys as a result of the cuts by KCC, in parallel with cuts from private companies, is going in the wrong direction."

KCC's deputy cabinet member for transport, councillor Dan Watkins, will chair a task group to establish a new proposal for transport in the county.

He said priorities would be made in creating more cycling and walking schemes and 2050 net zero carbon targets.

He said: "We are looking for safe and short journeys that will help us develop a network that supports economic growth and jobs."

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