Substantive bus service withdrawals post-Covid

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Private bus operators are commercial companies. They are not charities providing a social service. If a route is clearly unprofitable, it needs to be cut, otherwise the company attempting to run it could go bankrupt. The same applies to other "public" transport, including air and rail. In certain circumstances, central/local government can provide limited subsidies for "essential" services, so that significant towns (say population 5000 or more) are not completely "cut off", but given the dire financial state of the UK, this can't be very much. Greater Manchester's profligacy can't/shouldn't be mirrored elsewhere; the government needs to bring TfGM to heel for the way it wastes money, and the proposed "franchising" system needs to be thrown into the bin.

Has any further services been threatened in the few weeks that you made this posting, in the Greater Manchester area, especially any of the cross-border routes?

 

[daodao]

Has any further services been threatened in the few weeks that you made this posting, in the Greater Manchester area, especially any of the cross-border routes?

Please refer to post 1102 in the TfGM thread:

There was due to be a meeting of the Bus Services sub-Committee tomorrow (5/8/22), but that isn't appearing on the calendar now. The agenda for the main committee meeting next week is now published, and Appendix 1 includes a list of bus services at risk in October, and what will happen to them (pages 10-13 of the PDF):
https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/documents/s22177/GMTC 20220812 Bus Network Review.pdf

 

[duncombec]

The Stagecoach website has yet to be updated, but version 5 of the latest Kent County Council document regarding changes suggests that school journeys and one off-peak return journey will be retained on Stagecoach service 11 (Canterbury - Westwood via villages):
https://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/asse...72/Summary-of-the-changes-to-bus-services.pdf (page 6)

Bus number: 11
Operator: Stagecoach
Route: Canterbury to Westwood
Change and impact: Service withdrawal
Date of expected change: August 2022
Latest update: School journeys and one return in the off peak will now be retained.

(Note that the online version and the PDF are often out of sync - the online version accidentally puts this note under the already withdrawn Arriva service between Maidstone and Bearsted.

(Edit: corrected the spelling mistake introduced in the "jargon busting")

 

[RELL6L]

It looks like the Diamond 247 (Redditch to Evesham) has been saved with a reduced timetable and rerouted between Redditch and Studley via the old 67 route. Also the threatened Tamworth routes survive in some form. Edit - links and details now below.

247 76 service updates | Diamond Bus

www.diamondbuses.com

Latest service changes for Tamworth & Kingsbury and Redditch to Studley, Alcester, Bidford & Evesham​

05 August 2022

West Midlands Worcester and Warwickshire
Diamond Bus are pleased to announce some services have been saved from cancellation from 28th August.

The following service changes will now take place:

Tamworth Area:

Service 15 Tamworth-Kingsbury-Hurley/Wood End/Piccadilly: Service will continue and will be renumbered 76B and timetable revised.

Service 76 Tamworth-Ventura Park-Kingsbury-Coleshill-Sutton Coldfield: Service will be continued with a reduced frequency between Tamworth and Kingsbury and a revised timetable introduced. Service 76A (early morning and late afternoon) continues, with a revised timetable.

Redditch to Studley, Alcester, Bidford & Evesham:

Service 67 Redditch-Studley: This service will be withdrawn but will be replaced by a re-routed Service 247 with a revised timetable.

Service 247 Redditch-Studley-Alcester-Bidford-Evesham: Service will continue. Service will be rerouted between Redditch Bus Station and Alexandra Hospital via the current Service 67 route, and reduced frequency over whole route.


These services will continue to be operated by Diamond Bus and timetables will be available on our website shortly.

We are pleased to be able to continue to operate these services by working in partnership with Warwickshire County Council. These services are of key importance to residents in these areas and we appreciate passengers patience in waiting for information about the changes.

We look forward to continuing to carry our regular passengers going forward, and encourage everyone to support the services to grow passenger numbers and ensure these routes enjoy a viable future.

 

[DaventryRabbit]

Found Out at the Weekend that that the 200 Daventry to Banbury Stagecoach West Route (originally due to be binned in April but saved by Council Funding untill the August Bank Holiday) has now secured additional Funding and will continue in its current format untill Mid January 2023...
Great News

 

[Snow1964]

A lot should become clearer this week on post covid route cuts.

Bus operators have to give minimum of six weeks notice to make changes, and the covid support grant expires start of October

Therefore if don’t want to continue services after support runs out, will be announcing their changes in next few days.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

A lot should become clearer this week on post covid route cuts.

Bus operators have to give minimum of six weeks notice to make changes, and the covid support grant expires start of October

Therefore if don’t want to continue services after support runs out, will be announcing their changes in next few days.

You are correct and I hope that, if cuts are to happen, that passengers are given adequate time to consider alternatives / make arrangements.

My suspicion is that;
a) lots of cuts will come in as 'late notice' with the reason of 'waiting on a financial support decision from the local authority', and;
b) registration changes will not be publicised until a week ahead.

Those with sufficient interest will be able to see that a variation to a registration has been submitted, but details of that variation are not available until publicised, or uploaded and made public, through an on-line resource (traveline, bustimes.org etc). Obviously a 'cancellation' is pretty clear cut, but may be affected by subsequent re-registrations or amendments to other bus services running nearby to cover lost routes.

 

[Dai Corner]

You are correct and I hope that, if cuts are to happen, that passengers are given adequate time to consider alternatives / make arrangements.

My suspicion is that;
a) lots of cuts will come in as 'late notice' with the reason of 'waiting on a financial support decision from the local authority', and;
b) registration changes will not be publicised until a week ahead.

Those with sufficient interest will be able to see that a variation to a registration has been submitted, but details of that variation are not available until publicised, or uploaded and made public, through an on-line resource (traveline, bustimes.org etc). Obviously a 'cancellation' is pretty clear cut, but may be affected by subsequent re-registrations or amendments to other bus services running nearby to cover lost routes.

and another cohort of bus users deciding they've had enough of short notice changes and making other arrangements.

 

[RT4038]

and another cohort of bus users deciding they've had enough of short notice changes and making other arrangements.

It is sad, but given the unreliability of services due to staff shortages, and number of timetable changes, over the last two years, the only cohort left in many areas are those who just have to use the buses, no matter what.

 

[Dai Corner]

It is sad, but given the unreliability of services due to staff shortages, and number of timetable changes, over the last two years, the only cohort left in many areas are those who just have to use the buses, no matter what.

That's certainly my experience. I use my concessionary pass in preference to my car because it's free and I can have a pint or two if I feel like it but I never ever see any of my neighbours at the bus stop.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Aug 2022 ==



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I think the withdrawal of the Newport 'Fflecsi' DRT service, which is all there is in many parts of the city in the evenings and on Sundays, from 26 September probably counts as substantive.

Timetables for replacement scheduled services are yet to be published.

 

[Typhoon]

You are correct and I hope that, if cuts are to happen, that passengers are given adequate time to consider alternatives / make arrangements.

My suspicion is that;
a) lots of cuts will come in as 'late notice' with the reason of 'waiting on a financial support decision from the local authority', and;
b) registration changes will not be publicised until a week ahead.

Those with sufficient interest will be able to see that a variation to a registration has been submitted, but details of that variation are not available until publicised, or uploaded and made public, through an on-line resource (traveline, bustimes.org etc). Obviously a 'cancellation' is pretty clear cut, but may be affected by subsequent re-registrations or amendments to other bus services running nearby to cover lost routes.

I just wish that I thought it was not true.
Even then it will be 'To amend route and timetable', which just means it will exist in some form or other (not necessarily serving your stop at a particularly time of day, or even on that day at all).

There is a local route, cancellation announced on 25th July in Notices and Proceedings; there was an indication that the cessation, or at least a revision, was expected in a document on the Kent CC website (unfortunately, you need to know that it is there to look), which means that I have been using it to get some scenic walking in. At some time the KCC version was updated (5th August?) to indicate that 'school journeys and one return in the off-peak will now be retained'. The route finishes in less than two weeks time. The company website indicates that it will 'no longer be operated by Stagecoach', unhelpfully in the 'Promos and offers' section. The 'timetables' section does not indicate the it last runs on 27th August; 'Service updates' mainly indicates road closures and diversions - including a high priority one which finished on 1st July - and no mention of this change. 'Bus Times' reflect Stagecoaches timetable (no blame there, just an indication that I have looked for local services).

I was on the bus on Saturday, passengers were asking what was happening. The bus driver only knew the Stagecoach line (quoted above) while trying to be as helpful as he could. I quoted the KCC line but can find no timetable. Of course it could be another operator taking it on but people need to know. Numbers would have got into double figures for part of the journey, helped by some who appeared to be seasonal workers (fat chance them being able to work out what is going on). Apparently there is one stop where the number getting on is about fifteen for the school journey; of course some will be OK if they get free school meals but what about the rest?

and another cohort of bus users deciding they've had enough of short notice changes and making other arrangements.

Absolutely! There will be some parents who have got it sorted, shared lift. If the promised school journeys are retained they will find fewer passengers and the route will drop out next year.

Unfortunately, with councils being squeezed to the limit, and many large operators being run from a distance and the current deficit in driver numbers, this type of story is likely to be replicated before the October funding arrangement ceases.

I don't think it was on this forum but in case anyone was going to suggest the pupils walk to a bus stop, some already would do to catch this bus. And walking to a regular bus stop would involve using narrow roads without pavements (vehicle passing is difficult). I've walked a couple of hundred yards in bright sunshine, that's bad enough. In some cases they could resort to footpaths across fields, fine in summer during a drought but ...

 

[RELL6L]

More services saved in the West Midlands and Warwickshire / Worcestershire. Not full details yet, the 247 certainly reduced and the 35 withdrawn but other services look saved, at least until March.

WW August Service Changes | Diamond Bus

www.diamondbuses.com

Worcestershire & Warwickshire August Service Changes​

11 August 2022

Worcester and Warwickshire
Diamond Bus is pleased to announce that following a period of review, the majority of services in the Redditch & Kidderminster area have been saved from cancellation at the end of this month.

Diamond Bus has worked extensively with Worcestershire County Council to find a solution to enable vital bus services to continue with support from local funding.

Councillor Mike Rouse, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “We’ve worked closely with bus operators in the past few months to come up with a solution that benefits the residents of Worcestershire.

I’m delighted to hear that an agreement has now been reached. Of course there is still a way to go to secure the future of bus services but this Council is committed to improving all forms of transport.”

A package of measures has been agreed which includes significant funding from Worcestershire County Council, changes to services during times where they are not widely used (such as late evenings and early mornings) and a review of local bus fares.

As part of the new agreement, there will be some fare increases and we understand during these difficult times, that a fares increase is not welcome news; however these increases are unfortunately a necessary change in order to continue providing the area with a network of key services.

There has been widespread coverage in the National news recently regarding the need to cap fares to ease the impact of cost of living increases on bus passengers. Diamond Bus has aways been committed to providing affordable fares and currently many of our Worcestershire fares are amongst the lowest in the country, and, even with the increases planned for September, we believe our fares will still fall below the recommended national capped fare rate.

The agreement with Worcestershire County Council ensures that the current services will continue until at least the end of March 2023. However Diamond is committed to continue working with the Council to maintain and grow services beyond this.

Bob Baker, Managing Director for Diamond Bus confirmed: “We are hugely grateful for the additional funding that the Council has been able to offer as an emergency measure.

We are committed to providing Worcestershire with the robust bus network it needs to support a growing community, but services need to become viable commercially in the long term and to do this we need a significant growth in passengers travelling by bus.”

Diamond Bus has widely publicised that, in the current economic climate and post-pandemic, we need the community to support local buses. We believe that this will only be achieved by better collaborative working and engagement between all stakeholders in the future and we will be continuing to work with Worcestershire County Council to develop plans to achieve this.

The following services have been able to be saved as a result of the new partnership agreement:

Confirmed changes in August:​

Service	Route	Change Date	Proposed Change
8	Bewdley - Kidderminster	28/08/22	Service Saved! Service will continue to operate current timetable and route (Service 2 will not be reinstated in replacement of this service)
10	Kidderminster - Spennells	28/08/22	Timetable Improvements for commuters to provide better connections with Birmingham train services
11	Redditch - Washford Mill	28/08/22	Service Saved! Monday to Friday will continue to operate current timetable, some revisions to weekend times.
12	Redditch - Astwood Bank	28/08/22	Service Saved! Monday to Friday will continue to operate current timetable, some revisions to weekend times. Service 812 to School journeys will NOT resume in September '22
X20	Stratford - Coventry	14/08/22	Will operate current timetable in full until 14/8/22. From 14/8/22 until 28/822, A revised timetable will operate between Solihull and Coventry by Diamond Bus on behalf of TFWM. From 14/08/22, Solihull to Stratford service will be operated by Stagecoach on behalf of Warwickshire County Council. From 28/08/22, Coventry to Solihull service will be undertaken by a different operator on behalf of Transport for West Midlands**.
52	Redditch to Kidderminster	28/08/22	Service Saved! Service will continue with some timetable changes.
52A	Alexandra Hospital to Princess of Wales Hospital	28/08/22	Service Saved! Service will continue with some timetable changes.
62	Redditch Circular	28/08/22	Service Saved! Service will now continue.
67	Redditch to Studley	28/08/22	This service will be withdrawn but will be replaced by a re-routed Service 247 with a revised timetable.
202	Halesowen - Bromsgrove	28/08/22	Timetable will now continue to operate as per current timetable.
247	Redditch - Evesham	28/08/22	Service Saved! Service will be rerouted between Redditch Bus Station and Alexandra Hospital via the current Service 67 route, and reduced frequency over whole route.

 

[daodao]

Also some First Potteries changes from 25 September:

Service number	status	effective	effective	effective
32 (Kingfisher X32)	Cancelled	25-Sep

Assuming this is true (I couldn't find the entry on the West Midlands Traffic Commissioner's Excel spreadsheet of variations to bus services). loss of this route (Hanley-Cheadle-Uttoxeter) is a substantial withdrawal. It marks a significant retrenchment of First Potteries from the area to the east of the Stoke conurbation. Bus services to Cheadle (a market town of about 12,000 population), will be reduced, including the loss of Sunday services.

 

[markymark2000]

Assuming this is true (I couldn't find the entry on the West Midlands Traffic Commissioner's Excel spreadsheet of variations to bus services). loss of this route (Hanley-Cheadle-Uttoxeter) is a substantial withdrawal. It marks a significant retrenchment of First Potteries from the area to the east of the Stoke conurbation. Bus services to Cheadle (a market town of about 12,000 population), will be reduced, including the loss of Sunday services.

It only got approved by the TC yesterday.

https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...ch/find-registered-local-bus-services/browse/ enter 16/8/2022 as the date and tick the West Midlands area

It should be the top result and show as follows.

 

[RELL6L]

It only got approved by the TC yesterday.

https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...ch/find-registered-local-bus-services/browse/ enter 16/8/2022 as the date and tick the West Midlands area

It should be the top result and show as follows.

That’s quite a dramatic one! Hopefully it will be replaced in some way.

I owe a substantial report on the “trips” thread but have had to make an unexpected trip abroad- will do so as soon as I am able.

 

[SSmith2009]

Kinchbus have announced their long established number 2 service between Leicester and Loughborough will be cut back to run between Loughborough to Sileby only with a timetable of every 80 minutes mon-sat daytimes

Takes effect 4th September

Service changes from 4 September

On Sunday 4 September, we will be making some changes to Kinchbus 2 route and timetable.

www.kinchbus.co.uk

 

[Mikw]

Kinchbus have announced their long established number 2 service between Leicester and Loughborough will be cut back to run between Loughborough to Sileby only with a timetable of every 80 minutes mon-sat daytimes

Takes effect 4th September

Service changes from 4 September

On Sunday 4 September, we will be making some changes to Kinchbus 2 route and timetable.

www.kinchbus.co.uk

You beat me to it. This leaves people in the villages served no bus service for getting to Leicester at all.

 

[A0]

You beat me to it. This leaves people in the villages served no bus service for getting to Leicester at all.

A bit more nuanced than that though - the 2 serves Quorn (which has Arriva services to Leicester), Barrow upon Soar and Sileby - both of which have a rail link to Leicester. By my reckoning the only place which is losing out is Cossington ?

 

[Mikw]

A bit more nuanced than that though - the 2 serves Quorn (which has Arriva services to Leicester), Barrow upon Soar and Sileby - both of which have a rail link to Leicester. By my reckoning the only place which is losing out is Cossington ?

Well, whichever way it's cut, the evening Arriva service isn't especially frequent. so it mean a wait in a freezing Quorn in the winter, alongside a wait at your original bus stop. So two waits and an increased Journey time as a result.

So everywhere south of Sileby loses out (and they're losing evening and Sunday services anyway) - but Cossington loses all of it's services.

Yes, there is a rail link, but it can hardly match the convenience of the bus, and those with mobility problems might have a very long walk to get to the stations - and then there's strikes.

 

[JD2168]

Slight ending of an era from September; the Stagecoach 53 between Sheffield & Mansfield is being withdrawn.

 

[James H]

Bus Recovery Grant has been extended:

£130 million to protect bus services across the country

Funding will ensure that vital bus services can continue to run.

www.gov.uk

The funding package announced today (19 August 2022) will cover 6 months from October 2022 to March 2023, and builds on almost 2 years’ worth of unprecedented government support to keep bus networks running. Today’s funding means almost £2 billion has been made available to over 160 bus operators during the pandemic.

 

[RELL6L]

Bus Recovery Grant has been extended:

£130 million to protect bus services across the country

Funding will ensure that vital bus services can continue to run.

www.gov.uk

Interesting - and obviously good news. I wonder what the conditions are for this money.

So will some withdrawals be rescinded?

Will operators go back to local councils and say "You know what - we don't need that money yet - let's wait until next March" for routes the local councils have already agreed to take on - eg Diamond as per post 222 above, Stagecoach Devon ones already implemented.....

Will First Potteries reinstate the 32 - and D&G keep theirs (see Staffordshire thread - D&G have registered 32/32X through to Uttoxeter)...?!

 

[ChrisC]

Slight ending of an era from September; the Stagecoach 53 between Sheffield & Mansfield is being withdrawn.

I’ve not heard or seen any announcements about this around the Mansfield area. Where has it been announced. The Travel South Yorkshire list of service changes for Sheffield states that the 53 is to continue unchanged. This was updated today.

It would be the end of an era if that service was withdrawn. I remember travelling on it from Mansfield to Sheffield as a child in the 1960’s to visit relatives in Sheffield. I’m sure in those days it was a number 3 and not 53. Definitely was hourly and operated by East Midland Motor Services double deckers and regularly used to have a change of driver at Clowne bus depot.

 

[Typhoon]

Interesting - and obviously good news. I wonder what the conditions are for this money.

So will some withdrawals be rescinded?

Will operators go back to local councils and say "You know what - we don't need that money yet - let's wait until next March" for routes the local councils have already agreed to take on - eg Diamond as per post 222 above, Stagecoach Devon ones already implemented.....

Will First Potteries reinstate the 32 - and D&G keep theirs (see Staffordshire thread - D&G have registered 32/32X through to Uttoxeter)...?!

I would say that almost all that have gone will not return (in fact probably all). They will be the ones that were probably on the verge of going before the initial help came on board. Ones whose departure is already planned - most will go, companies will have planned the autumn timetables/ driver duties/ vehicle allocations based on them going. They will probably view their retention as just putting off the inevitable. A few might be picked up by smaller companies or survive in a modified form (including reduced frequency/ days of operation).

I'm sorry to be the harbinger of doom but I suspect some of the big groups have used covid to axe some routes they would rather not have but know that it would lead to councillors on their backs. They have used the reduced usage as the reason to rid themselves of them. Things may pick up by next March, if not, hopefully some of the doomed routes will be able to hang on while I work through the journeys I hope I can take while they still run.

 

[RT4038]

I'm sorry to be the harbinger of doom but I suspect some of the big groups have used covid to axe some routes they would rather not have but know that it would lead to councillors on their backs. They have used the reduced usage as the reason to rid themselves of them. Things may pick up by next March, if not, hopefully some of the doomed routes will be able to hang on while I work through the journeys I hope I can take while they still run.

It makes me smile when it is the 'big groups' who are being suspected. It is not as if small companies exactly operate lots of commercial services to take the axe to. In my shire county of residence the number of commercial routes not operated by 'big groups' is precisely ...... NIL.

 

[Typhoon]

It makes me smile when it is the 'big groups' who are being suspected. It is not as if small companies exactly operate lots of commercial services to take the axe to. In my shire county of residence the number of commercial routes not operated by 'big groups' is precisely ...... NIL.

You are right about that, at least round here, the smaller companies tend to operated the subsidised services whose survival may well depend on the how the local authority views the news. They, too, might say that no matter what, the route will be going. Wash their hands of it now, rather than in March will local elections imminent. Local authority finance is not going to get any easier.

However both Stagecoach and Arriva have dropped or are dropping a number of previously commercial routes. In one case, one journey each way appears to have had a reprieve. That sort pf response is the best some areas will get, I fear.

 

[Deerfold]

Slight ending of an era from September; the Stagecoach 53 between Sheffield & Mansfield is being withdrawn.

What Clowne's doing that?

 

[Megafuss]

On the positive side Xelagroup bought Yellow Coaches in Bournemouth yesterday and the surplus buses will do very nicely for the school contracts they will need to run there.

Yes, it's definitely a good look jacking in work elsewhere for a quick buck.

 

[CTS1990]

I’ve not heard or seen any announcements about this around the Mansfield area. Where has it been announced. The Travel South Yorkshire list of service changes for Sheffield states that the 53 is to continue unchanged. This was updated today.

It would be the end of an era if that service was withdrawn. I remember travelling on it from Mansfield to Sheffield as a child in the 1960’s to visit relatives in Sheffield. I’m sure in those days it was a number 3 and not 53. Definitely was hourly and operated by East Midland Motor Services double deckers and regularly used to have a change of driver at Clowne bus depot.

It’s good to see the 53 has had a reprieve. Does anyone know why there was a sudden change of heart? Unless this was a typo!

 

[SeveerYeliab]

local media reporting that Kent County Council (KCC) have found a magic money pot of a few million quid, and are putting off their proposed mass culling of services after, of all things, a tory rebellion - it turns out some parents weren't too happy that their child's only school bus was to be cut! No official announcement from KCC AFAIK

Plans to axe dozens of bus services across Kent have been postponed after a Tory rebellion.
Earlier this year, Kent County Council agreed to cut 38 subsidised trips across the county in October.

Their "reckless" decision was called in by opposition councillors to be debated in public at County Hall, Maidstone, this morning.
A small group stood outside the county council's HQ with signs to protest against the proposed cuts which would see the local authority save £2.2million to combat significant budget pressures.
Following a two-hour scrutiny meeting about the bus cuts, which were due to come into effect from late August to October, councillors detailed the "avalanche of emails" they'd received from concerned residents.

The chamber heard how parents would be left to choose between keeping their jobs or dropping their children off at school, while adults will be questioning whether they can afford to get a taxi to the hospital.
Conservative councillor Harry Raynor called for the cuts to be postponed and debated at a full council meeting later next month – this was seconded by meeting chairman fellow Tory Andy Booth.

In total, nine councillors, including a handful of Conservatives, voted for the postponement, while two – Cllr Dylan Jeffrey and Cllr Rory Love OBE – voted against it.
The plans have been strongly criticised by residents and councillors who have objected to the cuts and demanded it be considered by KCC's scrutiny committee.
It was called in by Green Party councillor Rich Lehmann, who labelled it "reckless", and Mike Sole, from the Liberal Democrats.



They believe the impact these subsidy cuts will have to communities across Kent – particularly the rural communities affected, and the elderly, disabled and low-income members of those communities – is "too great a cost" for the savings these measures will bring.
The formal challenge comes months after transport chiefs defended the large scale cuts, which they say were needed to achieve a balanced budget and secure the local authority's financial security.
The council has invested £6.6million to support 127 bus services, which are deemed socially important to the local community but not financially profitable.


Councillors were concerned over how much money it would cost the council to offer free transport for those who will miss out due to the bus cuts – questioning whether it would be more than the £2.2m saved.
Cllr Sole said the cuts would lead to more cars on the roads as parents take their children to school and the council would be "taking a backwards step towards their net zero target.

'They will be saying do I move my child to another school? Shall I not go to hospital?'

Cllr David Brazier hit back at people opposing the cuts and said concerned residents and councillors had a "fundamental misunderstanding" of the issue – claiming people were conflating the cuts to 38 subsidised bus services and that of commercial service cuts from providers.
Chairman Andy Booth seconded the move to postpone, and said: "We are in an extremely difficult time here. Life is getting tougher and the pound is getting smaller.

​

"I feel for the parents of youngsters trying to get them to school. It is an utter nightmare."
Cllr Trudy Dean said residents would be left with hard choices to make if the cuts went through. She said: "They will be saying do I move my child to another school? Shall I not go to hospital?
"Much of the Malling area would need to change school and struggle to get to Maidstone Hospital."
Cllr Rory Love, who was against postponing, called on councillors to come up with a solution which would generate an estimated £3million to keep the buses running.
"Talking about bus services doesn't make them anymore viable to the operator," he ad
Councillors voted in favour of postponing bus cuts until it is debated at a Full Council meeting in September
"People who use another service which will be cut as a result will be impacted. We need the money to be there, we can't magic up money."
Cllr Barry Lewis joked during the meeting their people would be left with three choices if cuts were approved – lose their jobs, pay for taxis, or make it legal for 12-year-olds to drive.
But he described the rebellion as similar to a last minute equaliser, and hopes momentum leads to the cuts being scrapped.
Jane Sinclaire, from Westerham, was outside County Hall with her daughter protesting at the cuts which would see her son affected.
"The alternative is unworkable and unsafe," she said.
"I don't think Kent County Council would have gone ahead with these cuts if they had known what they know now."
Among others angry about the move is Emma Butler, who says the cuts will leave her son, Rory, with no way to get to school.
Kent County Council agreed to cut 38 subsidised bus services in Kent
The 12-year-old Borden Grammar pupil currently makes his way into Sittingbourne via Chalkwell’s 332 bus, one of the routes due to be slashed in October.
Emma said: “I was shocked to hear it was being axed as it is the only school bus in the area.
“Travel Line confirmed that, after the bus cuts, there would be no routes available from our home to Rory’s school nor the nearest school to our address, Westlands School.
“KCC explained that, by sending Rory to the grammar school and not the nearest establishment to my house, they couldn’t help.
“However, if I decided to move Rory to Westlands, my closest school, then the council said they would intervene and pay for a taxi each day to get him to and from school.
Cllr Barry Lewis said thre result was like a "last minute equaliser" outside County Hall in Maidstone
“I don’t want to move Rory. He has just got settled after his first year. He has friends, sports clubs and is doing well.
“I don’t want to lift him out of that just because the council wants to save some money and cancel his school bus.
“I’ve been a teacher for almost 20 years but these bus cuts are causing me to choose between my job and my child. Ultimately I will choose my son.”
The matter will now go back to the council's cabinet where they can choose to proceed with the plans or rescind them.
If they are rescinded, they won't go before full council, but if they choose to proceed they will be heard at the meeting.
After the meeting Cllr Rich Lehmann said “I am delighted and surprised in equal measure at the outcome of today's meeting.
To have such strong support for our cause from so many of the Conservative councillors on the committee underlines the fact that people power works. If enough residents contact their elected representatives about issues like this to show opposition, they have the power to change opinions.”
“I hope that next month's full council meeting will give these cuts the scrutiny they deserve in light of the hugely challenging times households across Kent are now facing.
"These buses are relied upon by some of the most vulnerable residents across our county, and to push ahead with the cuts when there are still so many unanswered questions relating to how much the council will actually save and what the carbon impact will be would be

source: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/reckless-bus-cuts-delayed-after-tory-rebellion-272136/