New rural transport schemes launched in Maidstone

Two new rural transport schemes have been launched in Maidstone.

The new 13 and 59 feeder bus services began running on February 17, with the 13 serving Hollingbourne, Leeds, Langley Heath, and Otham.

The 59 serves Grafty Green, Ulcombe, Kingswood, Chart Sutton and Boughton Monchelsea.

Kent feeder buses link into the commercial network and are paid for by Kent County Council but run by Arriva, the 59, and Nu Venture, the 13.

Like a normal bus service, a Kent Feeder bus will charge individual fares, accept bus passes and serve all marked stops along the line of route.

Both services will continue to serve the same villages as the current 59 and 13 bus but will terminate at the Morrisons superstore on the Sutton Road, rather than continuing to Maidstone town centre.

Reliable connections can be made at both of these stops, with commercial services operating to and from Maidstone and Tenterden.

You can still buy a ticket from where you board all the way to Maidstone town centre.

KCC cabinet member for transport Michael Payne said: “These Kent Feeder bus services are funded by KCC to fill a gap that isn’t provided by the commercial operators and to help those living in rural communities have access to an alternative means of transport.

“Our hope is that this one year trial will prove successful and that people will benefit from these additional services. If they do prove to be popular, they could become the basis on which rural transport could be provided in the future.

“The aim of our rural transport initiative is to help tackle social isolation and provide the right transport solutions in the right places for the right price.

“A lot of people will be travelling using their bus pass and these will continue to be accepted on all services.

“For those paying a fare, it has been agreed with operators that they will accept each other’s tickets and that the operator of the Kent Feeder service can still sell tickets all the way to Maidstone town centre.”

There will be no change to the current fare structure on the 59 service operated by Arriva or on the 13 service operated by Nu-Venture.

School journeys are not affected and will operate all the way to and from Maidstone.

Timetables will be available on Kent.gov.uk and posted at the stops.

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