MPs lead calls for action to improve our bus services
Two MPs have combined forces to bring a bus firm to task over what they see as increasingly poor service.
Tracey Crouch, who represents Aylesford, and Tom Tugendhat, MP for Tonbridge and Malling have jointly written to Arriva calling on the company to improve its journeys.
Both said they had received complaints from constituents.
Miss Crouch said: “Reliable and regular bus services are vitally important to residents and the standard by Arriva across a number of routes has fallen short of what passengers consider acceptable.
“Whether it be repeated issues with the No 155, and indeed the complete withdrawal of the evening service on this route, or the failure to provide reliable school bus services, the number of complaints I receive is increasing.”
She said action was urgently needed. Mr Tugendhat said in rural areas many people rely on buses.
He added: “Sadly the frequency of delays has been increasing and reliability has been poor for months now.
“This is an increasingly serious problem and timetable changes are not the only answer.”
Meanwhile the company unveiled its own plans to improve routes at a public exhibition at the Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone at the weekend.
Kevin Root, manager at Arriva’s Maidstone depot, said: “We felt it was important to meet people and explain why the changes are taking place, and answer specific questions about the many routes running in and around the town.
“The changes are a result of a thorough review to see how we can further improve reliability and punctuality.”
Arriva said it would invite the two MPs to a meeting about the new developments which the company said it was confident would “greatly improve the reliability of the service.”
The changes, taking effect on Sunday, April 2, will affect 48 routes across the area. Full details at www.arrivabus.co.uk/ kent