Following a question by Green councillor Stuart Jeffery, to Maidstone’s Joint Transportation Board last week, it was confirmed that funding to support bus services across Maidstone and Kent has not been received by Kent County Council, nine months after funding was agreed with the Department for Transport.
Cllr Stuart Jeffery (Green on Maidstone Borough Council): “At a time when our bus services are really struggling I would have thought that the support that has been promised would have arrived promptly yet it appears increasingly likely that this is another failed initiative by the Conservative government.
“Despite public transport being one of the best ways to reduce traffic and mitigate against climate change, bus services are being allowed by government and KCC to collapse across Maidstone. The UK government needs to fulfil its promises?
“Along with Green colleagues on KCC, I have written to Grant Shapps demanding an answer. We need our bus services protected and enhanced, not ignored and left to wither.”
Notes:
Questions by Cllr Jeffery to the Maidstones Joint Transportation Board:
At the last MJTB the “Kent Bus Service Improvement Plan” was presented in outline. We were told that the funding was still “indicative” and had not been confirmed by central government. As services continue to decline the arrival of this funding increases in importance. Can you tell me whether the funding has now arrived, whether it has been confirmed or whether it remains “indicative”?
Does the chair agree that this is an appalling dereliction by central government in the face of a disasterous time for our bus services and will he be writing to his fellow Conservative, Grant Shapps to demand an explanation?
Letter to Grant Shapps and Baroness Vere at the Department for Transport:
Dear Mr Shapps and Baroness Vere,
Early in 2022 the Department for Transport offered funding top tier authorities to support Bus Service Improvement Plans. Kent County Council were promised £35.1m following acceptance of the plan for Kent. The new technology and interventions to improve services would help our local services grow and thrive.
This funding was confirmed on the 4th April 2022 yet so far no funds have been provided. Our bus services continue to decline and people continue to be disadvantaged by the lack of investment.
Can you therefore confirm to us when these funds will be provided and that they can be used to support existing and new routes across our county.
Yours sincerely
Cllr Rich Lehmann (Kent County Council / Green and Co-Chair of Kent Greens)
Laura Manston (Co-Chair of Kent Greens)
Cllr Mark Hood (Kent County Council / Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council / Green)
Cllr Paul Stepto (Kent County Council / Green)
Cllr Steve Campkin (Kent County Council / Green)
Cllr Stuart Jeffery (Maidstone Borough Council / Green)