Home News News Faversham Town Council ‘strongly objects to the bus cuts’

Faversham Town Council ‘strongly objects to the bus cuts’

Cllr B J Martin proposed, seconded by Cllr Rowlands and with a unanimous vote it was resolved that this Council strongly objects to the proposed cuts to bus services and commits to write to the leader of Kent County Council and to Joel Mitchell, Managing Director of Stagecoach

At the Town Council Meeting of 16th May 2022, Faversham Town Council noted the proposed cuts to bus services in our area, as published in KCC’s “Public Transport Briefing Note: Bus Recovery and Kent Service Reductions” & “Public Transport Briefing Note; Bus Recovery and Kent Service Reductions #2 (April and June 22)”

The proposals include:

•Withdrawal of the X4 service, meaning no direct link to/from Sittingbourne for Abbey School. Luddenham School pm/Kiln Court/Oare will have no service.

•There would be no services at Ospringe Street

•The withdrawal of the 666 service to Ashford on Sunday’s and Bank Holidays.

This Council further notes:

That Davington and North Preston are already underserved, with bus stops at Priory Row & Oare road already being without regular scheduled services, and no bus stops or services in North Preston itself.

That the proposed cuts to services would leave Ospringe, an area within an Air Quality Management Area, in a similar position to Davington & North Preston.

That the withdrawal of the X4 would leave the bus stop on London Road by the junction with Brogdale Road with just 3 AM peak services per day.

KCC’s design guide states that “walking distances to bus stops in urban areas must not be no greater than 400m and desirably no more than 250m. In rural areas the walking distance should not be more than 800m.”

That the 666 bus is the only direct public transport link between Faversham and Ashford, the nearest hospital with an A&E department, Maternity Ward and several other services.

This council believes:

•That public transport has a key role to play in providing sustainable transport for residents, to reduce congestion and assist in tackling climate change.

•The proposed cuts will leave the west of Faversham cut off from public transport

•That adequate public transport would assist in generating footfall for town centre businesses by ensuring access to Faversham’s shops and services for those living in surrounding villages.

4Managing Director of Stagecoach South East to object to the proposed cuts in the strongest possible terms and to request a review of routes within and around the town to ensure communities across Faversham anditssurrounding villages are properly served in the future.

Published
26 May 2022
Last Updated
26 May 2022
Published in