Update 26th September 2023
Our September newsletter mentioned that we are awaiting the outcome of how KCC plan to spend the £35 million allocated to them as part of the governments bus back better initiative. We pointed out that this could not be used to revive withdrawn services. We published a list of routes in our area that are currently subsidised by KCC and vulnerable to potential cuts.
Member John Humphrey has written to the Forum pointing out that there is some good news in that Route 1, Sevenoaks/ Westham and number 6, Sevenoaks/Kemsing from GO have made an increase in the number of Monday-Friday services. Whilst this is a move in the right direction there are still no late afternoon, evening services as promised by Boris Johnson in the bus back better plans.
Regarding KCC subsidies we have been informed that the Go2 DRT service (bookable buses) had 22134 passenger journeys in the 12months to Mar 2023 i.e. about 70 a day at a subsidised cost of £14.88 per journey. The no.8 Town circular had 6000 passengers during 2922/23 i.e. about 19 per day at a subsidised cost of £15.04 per journey. We doubt the accuracy of these data and are in correspondence with KCC and will publish the data again once we are happy with it’s accuracy.
We depend on the input from members to our Action Groups for our reports in the newsletters, so please keep sending them in.