The Cabinet considered a supplementary report relating to efforts to restore the Sevenoaks Weald element of the 402 bus route. The Cabinet was advised that Arriva had recently taken the decision to remove Sevenoaks Weald from the 402 bus service between Bromley and Tunbridge Wells due to timetabling difficulties caused by congestion in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. Kent County Council had sought to compensate for the loss of this service by extending the subsidised 421 bus route between Sevenoaks and Dartford to include Sevenoaks Weald. However the 421 service only stopped at Sevenoaks Weald four times per day and also did not provide access to Hildenborough which was a local centre for services for residents of Sevenoaks Weald and consequently reduced access to key services and facilities such as schools and GP surgeries for residents of Sevenoaks Weald.

The Cabinet considered two letters which it was proposed should be sent to Arriva and Kent County Council asking the two organisations to investigate how the congestion issues in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells could be overcome and asking Kent County Council to consider whether more frequent bus services could be provided for Sevenoaks Weald, including access to Hildenborough.

Members felt that the 402 bus route had provided a lifeline for Weald Village and that the removal of the village from the route impacted heavily on the accessibility of vital services. It was also considered that this could set a precedent for the isolation of other rural communities from the bus routes on which they relied if Arriva’s decision was not opposed.

Resolved: That the Cabinet supports the restoration of bus services to the residents of Sevenoaks Weald as detailed in the report and agrees that the draft letters attached to the report at Appendices A and B should be sent to Kent County Council and Arriva Southern Counties respectively.