There is a consultation available online at https://letstalk.kent.gov.uk/bus-funding-reductions into proposed reductions to the bus service. Under the proposals, the Number 70 Nu Venture bus which serves Offham would be withdrawn. The consultation is open until 20th April 2022.
Bus Funding Consultation by KCC:
We are proposing to make savings by reducing the money we spend on providing some bus services that private bus companies cannot afford to run, and which are no longer cost effective. We are carrying out this consultation to listen to your feedback.
KCC currently spends about £6m per year to contract services which are not profitable for bus companies but which the Council thinks are important. These are often the services running in more rural areas, in the evenings and at weekends and includes our Kent Karrier (Dial-a-Ride) services.
We have worked hard to protect this funding, but the financial pressures placed on KCC’s budget mean that the Council faces an intensely challenging period ahead, where tough decisions will need to be taken. The impact of this does unfortunately mean that the Council is having to consider savings across a whole range of services.
To meet the financial challenge being posed by this year’s budget, KCC’s Public Transport team has been asked to reduce planned spending on this funding by £2.2m. To achieve this reduction, we would need to end 48 contracts with a total value of £3m which would affect around 55 supported bus services from Summer 2022.