Maidstone Greens have reacted angrily to Kent County Council’s proposed cuts to bus services across the Borough. Eleven local services are at risk from the plans being presented to KCC’s Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on Friday. The Greens have started an online petition to call on the council to invest rather than cut services.
Stuart Jeffery, Green Party campaigner in Maidstone: “With the dire state of Maidstone’s already congested roads, rising fuel prices and the requirements for strong action on climate change, bus services need to be invested in, not cut.
“These services are the ones that have previously been supported by KCC for good reason, the services are there for those most in need, including the Kent Karrier scheme.
“KCC should not cut bus services, particularly those for people who need them most. We need more buses not more cars.”
Notes:
1. Services at risk:
Service, days and number of journeys
- Maidstone Kent Karrier Mon-Sat 2,804
- 59 Grafty Green to Maidstone Mon-Fri 4,291
- 24 Sandhurst to Maidstone Tu 790
- 266 Kilndown to Maidstone Tu 846
- Detling Shopper Detling to Maidstone Mon-Fri 3,572
- 332 Deans Bottom – Stockbury – Yelsted – Sittingbourne Schools SDO 4,182
- X1/X2 Kings Hill to West Malling & Maidstone Mon-Fri 64,148
- 5 Maidstone to Sandhurst Mon-Sat 11,525
- 13 & 59 Grafty Green & Harrietsham to maidstone Sat 5,195
- 58 Addington to Maidstone Mon-Sat 21,782
- 88 Maidstone to Kings Hill Mon-Fri 8,505
2. KCC paper to the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on 18/2/22
https://democracy.kent.gov.uk/documents/s109372/Report.pdf
3. Maidstone Green Party’s petition:
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/save-our-bus-services/