The Policy & Engagement Officer introduced the report and said that KCC used to manage and run Quality Bus Partnerships for each district to raise and discuss local issues. Those meetings ceased to exist when the government started developing its National Bus Strategy.

The National Bus Strategy was launched in March 2021 and was the blueprint to help improve issues such as infrastructure, bus travel, and air quality.

KCC received funding from the government for various initiatives which were detailed in the report. As part of the funding, each area was required to set up an Enhanced Bus Partnership which was a statutory board. Other high-level groups had been set up but with no district level representation.

To bridge that gap KCC had suggested that Enhanced Bus Partnership, Local Focus Groups were set up in each district. KCC would send along representatives to these meetings but could not resource them.

It was agreed by the Policy & Resources Committee to set up a Swale Local Focus Group which would meet twice a year. It would be managed by the Director of Regeneration and Neighbourhoods who would chair and coordinate the meetings. SBC would be a conduit to bring partners together rather than leading or delivering any work directly.

Given the interest locally in bus infrastructure, it was proposed that issues to be raised were requested from each Area Committee prior to the Local Focus Group with feedback to the Area Committee after the Local Focus Group had met.

It was anticipated that the Swale Local Focus Group would hold their first meeting at the end of January/beginning of February 2024.

Each Area Committee were invited to nominate one representative to sit on the Swale Local Focus Group.

Councillor James Hunt proposed that Councillor Mike Baldock be nominated as the Western Area Committee representative on the Enhanced Bus Partnership Swale Local Focus Group. This was seconded by Councillor Monique Bonney and on being put to the vote was agreed.

A discussion took place on the main issues that should be taken to the first Swale Local Focus Group meeting and the following comments were made:

·         The majority of villages in the Western area had been severely impacted. Rodmersham, Milstead, and Bredgar had no bus services, Tunstall had a limited service to the Kent Science Park and Bapchild services had been reduced from five to one an hour (Stagecoach X3 service). Due to roadworks on the A2, they were often delayed and the last bus service was often cancelled;

·         services ended at 6 pm, there was no service in Bapchild on Sundays and a reduced service on Saturdays;

·         it was not a useful service as buses were operating during times that were of no use to people working, attending hospital appointments, or hoped to use train services. New services needed to be better timetabled;

·         the current option of using a drop-off service was not always suitable as it had to be booked in advance, bus pass holders had to pay and the varying routes could take a long time;

·         KCC had not taken advantage of Section 106 funding from the expansion of the Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne which could have been used to support rural communities;

·         developers would often put in pilot schemes such as Arriva Click, but they would not stop at villages such as Rodmersham, therefore it was destined to fail as it did not have enough passengers. It also killed the commercial bus service that ran to the Kent Science Park.

·         Newington had limited buses with poor timings which did not link up with train times. There was no service in the evening.

·         elderly people who liked to be independent were affected by the reduction in services. Not being able to leave the house could affect their mental health;

·         bus companies were credited with only 80 pence each time a bus pass was used which impacted commercial services;

·         people who regularly attended hospital appointments, or visited relatives or friends in hospital, had to use costly taxis as there was no bus service when they needed it;

·         pupils attending schools in Maidstone were affected when the Arriva service stopped. The alternative service, Stagecoach X3, did not always turn up, and not all parents were able to give lifts;

·         some people could not get home from the bus station; and

·         evening bus services were needed.

Resolved:

1)    That Councillor Mike Baldock represent the Western Area Committee on the Enhanced Bus Partnership Swale Local Focus Group.