Dozens of bus services will be cut across Kent at the end of October.

A total of 38 subsidised routes in the county will be withdrawn by Kent County Council (KCC) over the next three months.

Many serve rural areas and isolated communities where people rely on public transport and the withdrawal of some will have a direct impact on how children get to school.

Services provided by Autocar, Arriva, Stagecoach, Go Coach, Regents, Nu-Venture and Chalkwell bus firms are set to be scrapped.

Eric Baldock, who is Autocar's bus and coach transport manager, said his company did not support the cuts.

He said: "KCC's action is against the government's green policy with regard to encouraging the use of public transport.

"It is likely that much of rural Kent will have no buses, even for school runs.”

Kent Karrier, a dial-a-ride service which takes disabled and elderly people from their homes to the nearest town centre or supermarket, was originally proposed to be removed but has now been saved.

The £2.2 million cuts were met with widespread outcry, with protests staged and a petition set up calling for a rethink.

But they were deemed necessary to help the county council tackle growing financial troubles amid the pandemic as County Hall bosses seek to achieve a balanced budget for April 2022 to April 2023.

KCC cabinet member for highways and transport, Cllr David Brazier (Con), said this month: "Effectively the £2.2m is no longer in my budget and I cannot spend money I do not have."

Opponents raised strong objections amid fears of worsening social isolation for people in rural areas, higher costs for families and further harm to the environment, with more car journeys and CO2 emissions.

Cllr Ian Chittenden, transport spokesman for KCC Liberal Democrats, said: "People are having finance problems.

"The money of a lot of individuals is going down and they are going to have to resort to public transport."

Swale Independents Alliance county councillor Mike Baldock, of KCC’s transport committee, added: “We must find another way to keep the buses going.”

Which services will be cut in each district?

Ashford

• 111 Stagecoach from Ashford to Folkestone; withdrawal of Thursday only service.

• 123 Stagecoach from Biddenden to Ashford; withdrawal of the whole service.

• Tenterden Hopper; Tenterden Social Hub.

Canterbury

• 6/645 Stagecoach from Herne and Broomfield into Hilborough School; 8.19am and return journey in the afternoon would be withdrawn.

• 634 Regents Coaches from Studd Hill to Beltinge; withdrawal of shopper service operating between Studd Hill and Betlinge on a Thursday only.

Dartford

• 433 Arriva from Bluewater to New Ash Green; withdrawal of the whole Sunday service.

• 474/5 Go Coach from Bluewater to Longfield; the whole service which runs from Monday to Saturday.

Dover

• 61/61A Stagecoach from Aycliffe to Whitfield; withdrawal of three Monday to Saturday evening journeys.

• 541/542/544 Regent’s Coaches from Dover to Canterbury.
• Sandwich Connect; Britannia; Staple from Northbourne; withdrawal of the Sandwich Connect service which operates Monday to Friday.

Folkestone and Hythe

• 17 Stagecoach from Folkestone to Canterbury; withdrawal of four journeys from Monday to Friday and four journeys operating Monday to Saturday evening between Folkestone and Canterbury.

Gravesham

• 489 Arriva from New Ash Green to Gravesend.

Maidstone

• 5 Arriva from Maidstone to Sandhurst; withdrawal of the Monday to Saturday evening service between Maidstone and Sandhurst.

• 13 Nu-Venture from Hollingbourne to Maidstone; the withdrawal of current Saturday service between Hollingbourne and Park Wood; Monday to Friday service continues unchanged.

• 24 Autocar from Sandhurst to Maidstone. Withdrawal of Tuesday only 9.30am journey from Sandhurst to Maidstone and return journey at 1.20pm from Maidstone.

• 58 Nu-Venture from Addington to Maidstone; Monday to Saturday service, which provides the only public transport for villages to the west of West Malling.

• 59 Nu-Venture from Grafty Green to Maidstone; withdrawal of the whole service operating from Monday to Saturday between Grafty Green and Park Wood for Maidstone connection.

• 266 Autocar from Kilndown to Maidstone.

• Detling shopper; Compaid from Detling to Maidstone; withdrawal of Monday to Friday shopper bus from Detling village to Maidstone.

• X1/X2 Arriva Kings Hill to Maidstone; withdrawal of the whole Monday to Friday service.

Sevenoaks

• 70 Nu-Venture from Borough Green to Larkfield.

• 222 Autocar from Wrotham to Tonbridge; withdrawal of four journeys, Monday to Friday and Saturday journeys.

• E1 Go Coach from Edenbridge town service; withdrawal of the whole Monday to Friday circular service around Edenbridge.

Swale

• 8 Chalkwell from Sittingbourne to Kenilworth Court and Conyer. Withdrawal of six off-peak journeys, Monday to Friday.

• 9 Sittingbourne town centre. Withdrawal of the whole service which operates on Mondays to Saturdays for Kenilworth Court, Bell Road and Northwood Avenue.

• 343/344/345 Chalkwell bus service from Newnham to Sittingbourne. Withdrawal of three services in their entirety; operating from Monday to Saturday.

• 332 Chakwell from Stockbury to Sittingbourne; withdrawal of school day only service.

• 360 from Leysdown to Queenborough; withdrawal of the whole Sunday service operating between Leysdown and Sheerness.

• 662 Chalkwell from Teynham to Faversham schools; withdrawal of school only day service.

• 664 Chalkwell from Conyer to Lynsted Primary School; withdrawal of school day only service.

• 666 Chalkwell from Faversham to Sheldwich School; withdrawal of school day only service.

Thanet

• 954 Regents Coaches from Birchington to Sandwich schools; withdrawal of school day only service.

Tonbridge and Malling

• 502 Nu-Venture from West Malling to Wrotham School.

• 88 Nu-Venture from Maidstone to Kings Hill.

• HC3 Clarkes minibuses from Dunton Green to Hugh Christie; withdrawal of school day only service.

Tunbridge Wells

• 6 Arriva service from East Peckham to Tunbridge Wells

• 255 Autocar from Benenden to Tunbridge Wells; withdrawal of three days a week

• 277 Arriva Henwood Green to Tunbridge Wells; withdrawal of one early morning journey.

• 292/299 Autocar from Tenterden to Tenterden.

• 293 Autocar from Tunbridge Wells to Rye.

• 296 Autocar from Paddock Wood to Tunbridge Wells.

• TW9 Go Coach from Langton Green to Tunbridge Wells; withdrawal of school day only service.