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Post by jay38a on Jan 17, 2018 22:27:24 GMT
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Post by snoggle on Jan 18, 2018 0:38:30 GMT
Pleasing news - for now - but the self congratulatory remarks from Tory MPs makes me rather cross. Kent bus users wouldn't be in this mess if the Government hadn't massacred local authority funding in the first place.
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Post by jay38a on Jan 18, 2018 21:37:35 GMT
Pleasing news - for now - but the self congratulatory remarks from Tory MPs makes me rather cross. Kent bus users wouldn't be in this mess if the Government hadn't massacred local authority funding in the first place. It did make Parliament these cuts, and the transport secretary who’s constituency is Ashford, who’s residents would have been affected by these changes, all he did was blame Labour!
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Post by snoggle on Jan 18, 2018 23:12:53 GMT
Pleasing news - for now - but the self congratulatory remarks from Tory MPs makes me rather cross. Kent bus users wouldn't be in this mess if the Government hadn't massacred local authority funding in the first place. It did make Parliament these cuts, and the transport secretary who’s constituency is Ashford, who’s residents would have been affected by these changes, all he did was blame Labour! The Transport Secretary represents Epsom and Ewell. The MP for Ashford is Damien Green who is now back on the backbenches after some IT issues and not being truthful about them (ahem!).
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2018 9:10:38 GMT
Pleasing news - for now - but the self congratulatory remarks from Tory MPs makes me rather cross. Kent bus users wouldn't be in this mess if the Government hadn't massacred local authority funding in the first place. So in Kent, you need £500,000 just to “speak” to people “In a statement released this afternoon Kent County Council said it had set aside a budget of £500,000 to speak to people, district and parish councils about bus services. Some little used buses could see changes to the way they were run but routes would not be cut at present”
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Post by N230UD on Jan 22, 2018 17:53:25 GMT
Pleasing news - for now - but the self congratulatory remarks from Tory MPs makes me rather cross. Kent bus users wouldn't be in this mess if the Government hadn't massacred local authority funding in the first place. So in Kent, you need £500,000 just to “speak” to people “In a statement released this afternoon Kent County Council said it had set aside a budget of £500,000 to speak to people, district and parish councils about bus services. Some little used buses could see changes to the way they were run but routes would not be cut at present” I wonder if that £500,000 will be used just for the odd leaflet put on a bus... Perhaps some of that £500,000 can be used to put their maps back up online (which were taken off due to the collapse of FWT).
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Post by snoggle on Jan 22, 2018 18:29:54 GMT
Pleasing news - for now - but the self congratulatory remarks from Tory MPs makes me rather cross. Kent bus users wouldn't be in this mess if the Government hadn't massacred local authority funding in the first place. So in Kent, you need £500,000 just to “speak” to people “In a statement released this afternoon Kent County Council said it had set aside a budget of £500,000 to speak to people, district and parish councils about bus services. Some little used buses could see changes to the way they were run but routes would not be cut at present” I understand your comment but if they do not consult properly on proposed changes they are liable to legal challenge as Cambridgeshire CC found to their cost a few years ago. Whether you like it or not then putting forward properly considered proposals supported by evidence does cost money as do consultation events in the areas affected. Kent is also a big county so changes may be spread across the whole area.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2018 20:03:56 GMT
So in Kent, you need £500,000 just to “speak” to people “In a statement released this afternoon Kent County Council said it had set aside a budget of £500,000 to speak to people, district and parish councils about bus services. Some little used buses could see changes to the way they were run but routes would not be cut at present” I understand your comment but if they do not consult properly on proposed changes they are liable to legal challenge as Cambridgeshire CC found to their cost a few years ago. Whether you like it or not then putting forward properly considered proposals supported by evidence does cost money as do consultation events in the areas affected. Kent is also a big county so changes may be spread across the whole area. I don't think it costs £500,000 to consult at all. I do it all the time it costs virtually nothing. I'd expect some lavish meeting venues with entertainment thrown in at that cost.
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Post by Dillon95 on Feb 5, 2018 1:53:27 GMT
Times like this I feel lucky to live in TFL land. There's so many rural areas that would be left without bus routes if those cuts were to go ahead. It's sickening.
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Post by TB141 on Feb 18, 2018 9:25:35 GMT
I didn't hear the phone-in but I wonder if operators were minded to ring in solely to ensure they are not in the firing line from passengers? A clever bit of self preservation of saying we're not responsible for any cuts - "it's the council who decides but we will try to be helpful in coping with the cuts". I assume a list of target routes does exist and I'd not be shocked if the 431 was on there. The service level is pretty poor and I can't imagine the buses are carrying decent loads on a x120 min M-F only service. It was also an "emergency tender" in the face of public complaint over the 402's loss so it must be a target for loss or further rationalisation. Oh and unfortunately this is *all* down to politics so cheap or otherwise comments are to be expected. Sorry for the late reply (I rarely venture into this part of the forum) but I saw one of the morning 431s at the Orpington War Memorial stop a couple of weeks ago and was surprised at the length of the queue waiting to board. Obviously, this is a tiny snapshot of the service and the queue did look to contain mostly Concessionary Pass holders but it does show the service appears to be being used. I agree that it's probably first on the chopping block for any cuts though Interestingly, the 14:30 departure from Orpington is timed to leave just a few minutes before the R10, and yet a few people choose to wait for the R10 and go the long way round to get to Knockholt and Halstead. Don’t know what the fares are like on the 431 but presumably this is the reason people would rather take a less direct route.
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Post by Dillon95 on Feb 23, 2018 11:49:25 GMT
Sorry for the late reply (I rarely venture into this part of the forum) but I saw one of the morning 431s at the Orpington War Memorial stop a couple of weeks ago and was surprised at the length of the queue waiting to board. Obviously, this is a tiny snapshot of the service and the queue did look to contain mostly Concessionary Pass holders but it does show the service appears to be being used. I agree that it's probably first on the chopping block for any cuts though Interestingly, the 14:30 departure from Orpington is timed to leave just a few minutes before the R10, and yet a few people choose to wait for the R10 and go the long way round to get to Knockholt and Halstead. Don’t know what the fares are like on the 431 but presumably this is the reason people would rather take a less direct route. They probably don't even know the 431 exists, or that it goes to those villages from Orpington. Old people are creatures of habbit and have probably used the R5/10 for years. Younger people use debit cards or have money on Oyster Cards, it makes sense for them to wait for the TFL service.
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Post by lonmark on Jul 15, 2018 18:49:37 GMT
News from Go-Coach Website say: Termination of Services - Route 401 (SUNDAYS & BANK HOLIDAYS ONLY), 433 and 489
These services will no-longer be operated by Go-Coach after 26th August 2018.
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Post by N230UD on Jul 15, 2018 22:56:21 GMT
News from Go-Coach Website say: Termination of Services - Route 401 (SUNDAYS & BANK HOLIDAYS ONLY), 433 and 489 These services will no-longer be operated by Go-Coach after 26th August 2018. It is unclear if these routes have been awarded to a new operator. This is KCC's busiest time of the year for buses, so it might be a few weeks before it becomes clear.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2018 22:42:25 GMT
I am aware of more cuts. West Kent Buses ( based in West Kingsdown) is closing down its operations around same time.
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Post by lonmark on Jul 17, 2018 7:20:19 GMT
I am aware of more cuts. West Kent Buses ( based in West Kingsdown) is closing down its operations around same time. I know i am not member of Kent bus club. But Have you heard any more news on bus service in kent. Please let us know. Go-Coach say it not know whose operator will take over or what on sunday bus 401.
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