Thanet council leader Cllr Rick Everitt is requesting that bus operator Stagecoach and Kent County Council look again at bus service changes which take effect from today (September 20).
In August it was revealed that a number of routes were under threat of withdrawal or reduction. The 32 service, which was previously earmarked to be withdrawn, will now continue thanks to funding from Kent County Council and the off peak 9 service, which was also to be withdrawn, has been taken on by another bus operator on behalf of KCC. However, KCC said viability for the services will be assessed after six months.
But the 34 route is now curtailed at Westwood Cross and will run just hourly. The 45/45a Broadstairs – Dumpton – Ramsgate – Discovery Park – Sandwich is withdrawn with a replacement service only covering part of the route.
The changes hit areas including Newington and Broadstairs.
Cllr Everitt, who is a Newington ward councillor, says he is unhappy with changes to the 34, which has been replaced by route 44 between Ramsgate and Westwood. There will no longer be a through service to Margate and what is left of the 34 is reduced to an hourly service.
The changes reduce access to the Thanet Health Hub off Westwood Road, while a section of the former route 45 between Ramsgate and Broadstairs via Dumpton has been axed entirely.
Cllr Everitt said: “The reinstatement of a direct service between Ramsgate and Canterbury is good news, especially with the government’s £2 fare cap coming into force in January. This extension is something that Polly Billington MP successfully campaigned for and it has wide public support
“However, it cannot be right that Newington residents are seeing a reduced service through one of our most isolated and deprived communities at the same time. I know that residents in Dane Valley and along the remainder of the 34 route are in a similar position.
“Instead of the half-hourly 34, Newington will now have an hourly service via the new 44 and it won’t go along Stirling Way, which is a long road. Not everyone towards the Newington Road end has a car and some have mobility problems.
“It will be too far for some to walk to catch the Loop on Margate Road or the hourly 44 at St Johns Avenue, where it turns on to the Haine Road. It’s unacceptable.
“We don’t expect half-hourly buses to Canterbury, but I believe Stagecoach could operate a service between Ramsgate and Westwood to run alternately with the 44. It could probably be done with just one vehicle.”
Thanet council has no say on bus services; the county council is the transport authority and receives funding from government for bus subsidy.
Earlier this year, a Freedom of Information request from Nethercourt ward Labour district councillor David Green revealed that KCC bus subsidies were far lower in Thanet than elsewhere in Kent, despite the district being more deprived than others.
“Public transport is a social good and shouldn’t just be determined by profitability,” said Cllr Everitt. “Poor public transport imposes additional costs on those who can least afford it. It affects access to employment, health services and leisure. Newington is not some tiny rural village. It’s bad enough there are no Sunday and evening services on these routes, without these new cuts.”
Stirling Way will continue to be served by school routes 945 and 946.
Bus service changes
45 / 45A Broadstairs – Dumpton – Ramsgate – Discovery Park – Sandwich This service is withdrawn and replaced by service 44 between Ramsgate and Sandwich. The 07:41 current 45 service from Westwood Cross and the 15:40 from Sandwich Tech on school days only will be renumbered 945.
44 Canterbury – Westwood Cross The current Discovery Park journeys running as service 43 will be renumbered 44 and extended to Westwood Cross via Cliffsend, Ramsgate and Newington. The journey will include stops currently on the 45/45A which will no longer run. The new 44 route will go directly through the centre of Newington then via New Haine Road and Sainsbury’s to Westwood Cross.
34 Ramsgate – Margate Rail Station The 34 timetable has been reviewed and will now operate between Margate Cecil Square, Dane Valley and Westwood Cross hourly. The current section of the route between Westwood Cross and Ramsgate will now be covered by the new route 44.
32 Margate – Minnis Bay This service will continue the current timetable and frequency, supported by KCC.
9 / 9X Westwood – Canterbury Another operator will run the off‑peak route 9 service on behalf of KCC. 9X journeys will not change.
8 / 8A / 8X Westwood Cross – Canterbury The 06:53 journey on route 8 / 8X to Canterbury Monday to Friday will be extended to serve Westwood Cross. The 07:26 8A journey to Northdown Park will be revised to terminate at Birchington Rail Station.
944 Cliffsend – Dane Court School Services delayed 15 minutes to better serve Ursuline College.
945 Ramsgate – Sandwich New service replacing the current 45A 07:41 from Westwood Cross and the 15:40 return from Sandwich Tech.
946 Margate – Broadstairs Revised to start at 07:15 and to operate via Newington.
