The effects of "reckless" cuts to 38 bus services across the county will be felt by their passengers from today as the council funded subsidies were withdrawn by February 12.

The elderly, car-less and those living in rural communities are set to those most severely affected, as Kent County Council (KCC) looks to balance its budget by cutting £2.2 million from subsidised routes.

The decision, rubber-stamped in July, was originally going to see services pulled in October, but a huge outcry saw that postponed for a rethink in August.

More than 2,000 people responded to a public consultation and 55 wrote to the council over the plans.

They were called in by Green Party councillor Rich Lehmann, who labelled them "reckless", but the last-ditch bid to save the buses fell through. The routes are subsidised, KCC paying private providers to run routes deemed not commercially viable.

All subsidies were withdrawn on February 12 or on the last day of the service if it was one which run once a week, whichever date was sooner.

And now residents have expressed their fears of being isolated thanks to the changes in services delivered to their communities.

Josh Kent, a 20-year-old carer from Borough Green, relied on the Autocar 222 bus to get back to and from work in Tunbridge Wells.

He said: "They have cut the last bus home on weekdays.

"Normally I would get the 5.55pm bus back from Tunbridge Wells to Tonbridge, then from there to Borough Green.

"Now the last bus is at around 3.55pm meaning I'd have to leave work two hours early just to get home and, if I miss it, then the only way back to Borough Green is taking the train into London which is another £30."

Before the cuts, Josh paid £4.50 for a return ticket to Tunbridge Wells but now the cost of his journey would increase to £15 as he would need to buy two separate return fairs - Borough Green to Sevenoaks (£8.50) then Sevenoaks to Tunbridge Wells (£6.50).

He said: "I cannot express how frustrating this is.

"Even if I wasn't working I still have family in Tonbridge I'd like to visit like my grandmother.

"There is nothing in Borough Green so if I need to do something important like go to the bank I won't be able to do it."

All Saturday services on the 222 route are also being lost

Chalkwell's 332 route from Stockbury to Sittingbourne schools is being cut completely, leaving pupils unable to get to school.

Emma Butler's son Rory is one of them.

She said: "When Rory was offered his space at the school it was never mentioned that the bus was going to be cut.

"He got into Borden and when we went for the consultation we said he would be taking the bus but they went ahead and stopped it.

"Because Rory didn't go to the nearest school KCC said they wouldn't provide free substitute transport for him."

Emma lives 5.4 miles away from Westlands, the nearest school, and 5.9 miles away from Borden Grammar.

Emma was forced to change jobs so she could drop him off on the way to work.

She continued: "I loved my job but Rory was always going to come first and so ultimately I had to resign."

Emma originally worked in a school in Medway but has since taken up a role at Teynham Primary School.

She took KCC to a tribunal on January 6 where she won the appeal and has now been offered a free taxi for Rory to get to school.

She said: "I was lucky I did everything I could to get the option I did.

"For me it's really peace of mind he has transport but if the bus were re-instated then I'd happily pay for the bus pass as it gave Rory the independence to get about on his own.

"He is now sharing a taxi with four other students who I presume all go to the same school and have a similar problem.

"But for the rest of the children here there is no way for them to get to school. They either have to pay for cabs or have to get their parents to take them which puts more cars on the road.

"I am still supporting the community and hopefully we can get this rectified."

All schools are currently on half-term break but Emma feels that as of Monday the true test of how schoolchildren will cope will start.

In October, Cllr David Brazier, who made the decision, said that despite receiving many complaints about the loss of bus services in Kent, relatively few had been about the specific services KCC was ending subsidies on.

He said: "That's because so few people use them."

Most complaints were over commercial services being axed by private bus companies.

He added: "People have wrongly conflated the two issues."

But Cllr Stuart Jeffery (Green) opposed the cuts and is still pushing for local and national government to intervene.

He said: “This is yet another blow to our much needed public transport services and one that has been engineered by local and national government.

“We have a climate crisis, a cost of living crisis and a transport crisis. Public transport should be a significant part of mitigating these crises yet government at all levels not only refuses to support our bus services but they are actively undermining them.

This is yet another blow to our much needed public transport services and one that has been engineered by local and national government."

“Maidstone Borough Council urgently needs a forum with local bus operators and KCC to formulate a real plan to improve and sustain our buses. Keeping eyes closed and ears covered will just lead to more cuts.”

A KCC spokesman said: "Service changes relating to a reduction in KCC’s Supported Bus Budget for the 2022/23 financial year took place last weekend.

"Other changes are being made by operators in response to the continued challenge of increased costs and the reduced use of buses after the pandemic.

"KCC’s budget for bus service support has been protected at the same level for the 2023/24 financial year and we hope that this will enable us to continue to support our contracted services."

All cuts are to be set by the end of this week. The affected buses are:
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; withdrawal of the Sunday service

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 has an updated timetable extended to serve Maidstone Town Centre.

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. A Friday Shoppers service will continue to run with support from parish councils.

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. A Wednesday Shoppers service will continue to run with support from parish councils.

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

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

70 Nu-Venture from Borough Green to Larkfield. A Monday Shoppers service will continue to run with support from parish councils which will include a daytime service to Leybourne Chase development.

502 Nu-Venture from West Malling to Wrotham School to be renumbered W2.

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; diversion through Pembury is lost on a Sunday

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.