People living on a housing estate say they face forking out for costly taxis or walking along a “dangerous” stretch of road after a number of evening buses were axed to save money.

Previously residents in Aycliffe, in Dover, benefited from services running late enough to get them home at 10.26pm - but now the last bus arrives at 6.47pm.

They say axing the evening routes has left those without cars struggling to make it back to the town's smallest community.

Jes Parker, administrator for the Aycliffe Residents Forum Facebook page, told KentOnline: “A lot of people will now not be able to get back home from work.

“That will be the same for people with hospital appointments after 5pm.”

The alternative route for those without cars is now to take a bus to the Pencester Road terminus in the town centre and then walk to Aycliffe. The distance is 1.6 miles from there to the estate’s King Lear’s Way stop.

The only manageable way on foot from the town centre is along the busy A20.

There is a straighter route via the steep hill of North and South Military Roads, the latter which has no street lights and parts of it have no footpath.

Nikki Bushell, a moderator for Aycliffe Residents Forum, added: “My daughter goes to Canterbury College and comes back late.

“I do not want her walking along the A20 because it is dangerous in terms of traffic. Also, I don’t want her in the Pencester area in the evenings because of the drunks in the park there.

“Some people on the estate work in St James’ [Retail and Leisure Park] and they don’t finish at 6pm, so they would be affected too if they have no car.”

Doreen Griffiths, of Old Folkestone Road, Aycliffe, said: “People would have to walk right into town to get a bus in the evening. It’s the only way you can get in and out if you don’t have a car.

“I think these cuts should be reversed.”

A woman from the estate, who did not want to be named, added: “It will mean people needing an expensive taxi that will cost more than they earn over the week.

“So they are left with no choice but to walk in the night with heavy traffic and unsafe footpaths up the main A20 from Dover town to Aycliffe.

“Who knows who is about with society as it is? As a woman I do not feel safe at all.

“This service may not have been busy at all times between 6pm and 10.30pm, but why cancel it all? Surely run a few between those hours to get people home safely.”

The timetable by bus operator Stagecoach from October to February listed the 61, 61a or 64a buses arriving at the estate’s King Lear’s Way from Whitfield via the town centre at 7.26pm, 8.26pm, 9.26pm and 10.26pm.

This was from Mondays to Saturdays, and the buses left that part of Aycliffe at exactly these times.

"Who knows who is about with society as it is? As a woman I do not feel safe at all..."

But since Sunday, February 12, the last bus arrives at King Lear’s Way at 6.47pm, Mondays to Saturdays. This is now the 64 route from River, via the town centre, and the final bus leaves at 6.18pm.

A total 37 other routes in the county have had reductions, all from cuts in subsidy by Kent County Council (KCC).

Those for Aycliffe would provide an estimated saving of £33,477.

A statement from KCC said: “We consulted on these bus reduction plans in the summer, and councillors voted to proceed with the planned subsidy withdrawals at the full council meeting on October 20, to achieve a saving of £2.2 million.”

This saving is out of £6 million the council spends annually on voluntarily supporting bus services.

The authority is under financial pressure because of reduced government funding, plus the increased cost of compulsory services.

KCC runs no buses itself, but subsidises services that are not viable for private operators.

It says local bus use is at about 80% of pre-pandemic levels, with off-peak use being much less.

The council said: “KCC continues to invest over £30 million in support of Kent’s bus network and its users.

“This includes subsidising more than 80 bus routes, subsidising the costs of bus travel for students through the Kent Travel Saver and 16+ schemes and supporting free travel for elderly and disabled bus users.

“In recognition of the importance that local communities place on bus services, this year we have significantly boosted the money available for local community transport schemes, increasing the fund from £100,000 to £450,000."

This move is separate to the cuts made by Stagcoach itself, highlighted last October and affecting routes for places such as River, Whitfield and Deal.

The company explained there had been a fall in passengers post-pandemic, driver shortages and increases in operating costs.

This month, a new on-demand bus service launched for those living in Aylesham and other surrounding areas in Dover, after the villages saw their regular bus routes axed.

Loss of bus services is not the only issue those living in Aycliffe have to endure.

Residents living there regularly complain of loud lorries, which can queue on the A20, keeping them up at night with their engines running and horns blasting.

In addition, a car was left smashed up after a lost HGVs drove onto the estate after missing signs for a new, nearby lorry park.

Owner Marie Stoakes said: "The lorry had pushed my car 10 to 15ft along the road. It's now a write off and I haven't been able to get to work."