Residents said that ‘Arriva has taken the heart out of the village’ after the bus operator withdrew the No 12 from Langley.
Dozens of people voiced their concerns about changes to bus services at a public meeting also attended by representative of bus operator Arriva and KCC.
I called the meeting because so many Langley residents told me they were worried about the loss of the No 12, particularly older and more vulnerable people who rely on the bus. Residents told me how they will now struggle to get to the shops, to appointments with doctors and dentists, or to visit relatives in care homes.
They now have to cross a busy road to catch the bus into Maidstone – or rely on the much less frequent No 13. Residents, including Langley Parish Council Chair Cheryl Taylor-Maggio, called for a new crossing to ensure that people could cross the road safely. Residents also reported that sometimes the no 12 bus doesn’t even stop when heading out of Maidstone, due to the lack of a bus stop. County Councillor Eric Hotson committed to fund a survey that would be required to get the scheme underway.
When pressed to explain the reason for the route change, Arriva Manager Kevin Roots told the meeting that Horseshoes Lane was too narrow for large vehicles to navigate and that this had become an “accident hotspot” for their buses. Mr Roots said that the service could be reinstated if this lane was widened. Eric Hotson said that cutting back a large hedgerow and replacing it with a fence could solve the access problems in Horseshoes Lane, although he also warned residents at the meeting that others living in Langley might not support these changes. Cllr Hotson agreed to take forwards work at Kent County Council to look into these options.
Longer school journeys and arriving late at school is also a worry, particularly for pupils about to sit their exams. Children going to the Oakwood Park campus now have to change buses in Maidstone, as the direct bus service has been cut. Changes to the timetable are also affecting pupils at Invicta and Valley Park schools. I want action to be taken if pupils are late for school as a result of the new bus timetable.
I totally understand parents choosing to drive their children to school instead, but as they said themselves, they know they are only adding to congestion. I’m following up with the local secondary schools, Arriva and Kent County Council to see what can be done.
At a time when we need more journeys to be made by public transport to alleviate congestion in and around Maidstone, these changes are going in the wrong direction. I will continue to work with Kent County Council and bus operators – whether Arriva or alternatives like New Venture – so we have modern, reliable bus services.