The Future of Bus Services

What future do public buses have in the county?

A plan for the future of bus services in Kent is being created by Kent County Council which is asking the public for its help.

In March, the government published a new National Bus Strategy which set a framework for recovery for the pandemic and a vision for future bus service improvement across the UK.

The strategy requires all Local Transport Authorities, such as KCC, to work with Bus Operators to form a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) which would act as the local vision for buses and for it to be used to inform Enhanced Partnership Schemes covering all services in the area.

An Enhanced Partnership Scheme is an agreement that enables local authorities with operators to set shared aims and service standards with a view to improving bus services. KCC has published a statutory notice confirming its intention to introduce Enhanced Partnership Schemes.

Bus Service Improvement Plans will be used by Government as the basis on which to award extra funding which, if successful, KCC hope could be used to support some of the improvements and initiatives being developed.

KCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport David Brazier said:
“From today we want to hear from our residents to help shape this BSIP and make sure that it reflects our communities right across the county.

“We hope to be able to attract funding for improving bus services in Kent but there is a lot to do in a short period of time so we need to develop a plan that identifies where and how we can make things better from timetables to vehicles and from information to fares.

“We want to ensure our BSIP reflects what you want to see from buses in Kent and what would help you to use buses or use them more often.” 

To find out more, to see the notice, and to give your views, visit kent.gov.uk/

Tunbridge Wells Friends of the Earth, commenting on their Twitter feed said:
’Yes! Clean, regular buses, free for all in full time education and the elderly will encourage uptake of public transport in Tunbridge Wells and surrounding villages’