Bus services
About 80% of bus services in Kent are provided by private,
commercial bus companies, for example, Arriva Southern Counties and
Stagecoach in East Kent.
We provide funding to support the remaining 20% of bus services
that are not commercially viable. These are services where the
running costs are more than the money received from passengers’
fares.
Most of these journeys are on early morning, late
evening and weekend services, and those with fewer passengers
including rural areas.
There is also a wide network of dial-a-ride bus services in most parts of Kent.
We support this service, which offers travel to those who
cannot use normal bus services because of:
- a medical condition
- lack of mobility
- they live over 500 metres from a bus stop.
Although we do not have any direct control over the 80% of bus
services that are run on a commercial (for profit) basis, we work
in partnership with bus companies to deliver public transport
improvements.
We have been involved with projects to improve and develop
public transport in Kent, including:
We also have a statutory responsibility to administer and fund
the English National Concessionary Travel
Scheme for disabled and elderly people.
Despite receiving reduced funding from government, we have been
able to protect support for bus services for the past 10
years. The funding of subsidies to passengers and
bus operators for 2011/12 includes:
- £16.3million for the English National Concessionary Travel
Scheme for disabled and elderly people
- £10.8milllion for the Kent Freedom Pass
- £6.4million support to operate local bus services.