It's all change on the buses.

From Sunday (April 10), Arriva is making a number of alterations to services in the Maidstone area.

Company spokesman Richard Lewis said: “We have had to implement changes to most of our services in Maidstone to offset the effects of high fuel prices and a loss of income through the reduced amount that we, like other bus companies, are now receiving from local authorities to reimburse us for journeys made free by concessionary pass holders.

“The reduction in that revenue is substantial and we have had no choice but to make economies in some areas.

“We have kept reductions to a minimum.”

The affected services include the 5, 8, 12, 17, 71, 72, 82, 85, 101, 135, 334, 575 and 703.

Additionally, service 18 will no longer run, but it will be replaced between Maidstone and Palace Wood by Service 79 which will run through from Penenden Heath.

At Grove Green, Service 19 will run additionally on Saturdays to replace Service 9 which is being withdrawn.

Service 59 will be substantially revised and some journeys withdrawn, while between Maidstone and Senacre Wood, Service 84 will have some Monday to Friday revisions and will no longer run on Saturdays.

Passengers in Coxheath using Service 89 to get to the town centre will find their buses reduced to every 20 minutes.

There is some good news: the frequency of the 101 between Maidstone and the Medway Towns will be doubled on Sundays to give a bus every 30 minutes instead of one an hour.

The 155 service between Maidstone and Chatham via the Medway Valley will also be improved to run hourly for the main part of the day on Mondays to Saturdays.

Full details of the changes are shown in a leaflet available from Arriva’s Travel Shop in the Chequers Centre, or by calling 0844 800 4411, or by visiting www.arrivabus.co.uk