I’ve set out my vision for a better local bus network in response to Kent County Council’s consultation on the new Bus Service Improvement Plan.
Buses can help reduce congestion on our roads, improve air quality, and provide a vital lifeline for people. But I know services have been under pressure in recent years.
The Government is investing £5 billion to overhaul bus and cycle links in every region outside London, and I’m determined to help Kent get its share of this new funding.
I’ve called for a focus on the rural bus network as part of KCC’s Improvement Plan. Rural services have been in decline over many years, and yet they are often the only form of public transport available in many of our villages.
I’ve also called for more direct services between towns in East Kent, particularly between Maidstone and Faversham, and Faversham and Ashford, where there is no direct train route.
Any Improvement Plan also needs to make bus fares simpler and cheaper. I’ve called for a Kent travel card, as used by Transport for London for trains and buses, to make local travel easier and more affordable.
I’ll continue to work with KCC to make sure the investment in buses benefits people in Faversham and Mid Kent.
