Traffic restrictions to stop part of a road being used by anything other than buses are still being ignored by motorists a year after they were brought in.

It is just over 12 months since the new No 60 bus route serving west Maidstone began, but it may be months more before its controversial busgate can be enforced.

The bus service runs from Maidstone Hospital to the Hermitage Park housing estate, and then via the Chapelfield Way busgate - a short section of road that only allows buses and other authorized vehicles to pass through - onto London Road and then into Maidstone town centre.

But while the bus has proved popular - carrying more than 27,200 passengers so far - KCC and Croudace, the Hermitage Park developers, have still not been able to sort out the issues regarding the busgate.

It was said from the start, back in 2015, that the link between the new 500-home Hermitage Park estate and the adjacent established estate at Howard Drive must not be allowed to turn into a rat-run between Hermitage Lane and London Road.

But that is just what it has become because of an inability to prevent non-bus traffic from using the busgate corridor.

The initial idea of installing a raised platform, known as a sump-buster, failed because with buses getting lower for easy passenger access, and cars getting higher, the maximum feasible height of the sump-buster proved ineffective.

Although there are No Entry signs on the busgate, plenty of motorists every day ignore them and tear through at speed, which has brought them into conflict with the residents of Howard Drive.

Kent County Councillor Chris Passmore (Lib Dem), who has been closely monitoring the situation from the beginning, said: “It was very quickly realised that the sump-buster was totally inadequate and that an ANPR [Automatic Number Plate Recognition] camera would need to be installed to enforce the bus-only rule.”

But even though KCC took the decision to do just that last April, it has not proved easy.

KCC cannot use its traffic enforcement powers unless it owns the road and it has not adopted the roads in Hermitage Park.

It is now seeking to adopt just that section of Chapelfield Way that includes the busgate but to do that, it needs first to inspect the streetlights to ensure they meet KCC standards, and then inspect the drains, for the same reason.

Cllr Passmore said: “There are a large number of hoops that need to be cleared to get the ANPR camera in place and KCC officers are clearing each sequentially.

“It is a very painful process.”

He said: “Frustratingly, the current hoop is that KCC is waiting on Croudace's power supply company to agree that KCC's term maintenance contractor can work on their equipment to allow KCC to maintain the streetlights that will be then adopted by KCC.

“I am acutely aware of the number of drivers that are illegally using the busgate each working day and I have asked Kent Police if they could use their powers to enforce the busgate in the meantime.”

KCC’s traffic management team has said it would not be purchasing the cameras and columns necessary for enforcement until after the road adoption process had been completed.

The purchase of the equipment and its subsequent installation would likely take several months so no firm date for the ANPR camera to be working could be given.

Cllr Passmore said: “Councillors made a commitment that this stretch of road would only be used as a busgate.

“Sadly, our inability to deliver this type of project in a timely manner erodes public confidence in both KCC Highways and KCC more widely.”

George Powell, who lives in Howard Drive, said: “Cars come through it every day. Mums dropping their kids off at school, delivery vans. I’ve even seen a driving school learner car come through.

“It’s very dangerous because they come through onto a corner where vision is often obscured by parked cars.

“This delay with the cameras is totally unacceptable.

“Something must be done and soon.”

A KCC spokesman said: “We are unable to give any firm dates for installation of equipment at this site while the council works with the current landowners to make the site a publicly owned highway.”

Norman Kemp, the owner of Nu Venture which operates the No 60 bus, said: “We are delighted that the vision of previous councillors to create the Chapelfield Way busgate and get a section 106 funding contribution from Croudace is now being demonstrated through good demand from residents and we look forward to carrying even more passengers in the future.”