Residents are invited to submit their views to the bus company either in writing or by completing the online consultation form at the link here >> http://bit.ly/2rFWIti
The closing date for submissions is Sunday 15th December.
The operator wrote:
The operator wrote:
“Chalkwell Coach Hire are the operators of the 326/327 bus service that links Sittingbourne to the Medway Towns via the villages of Newington, Upchurch and Lower Halstow.
We provide this service at our own commercial risk, with Kent County Council supporting evening and Saturday journeys.
The 326/327 service has been greatly impacted by the SGN roadworks on the A2, with the closure of Newington in July and the current 42 week programme increasing our costs and journey times dramatically. We understand that these roadworks are essential in order to replace an ageing gas line. However, they make operating buses very difficult and are causing punctuality issues.
We have requested reasonable financial compensation from SGN who have so far refused to meet our costs. Likewise, Kent County Council are not in a position to provide assistance. This is not a sustainable position for us and because of these factors beyond our control, there are elements of the 326/327 service that are no longer commercially viable.
We are therefore considering withdrawing some of the 326/327 service or re-timing the existing journeys. Before making any decisions, we would like feedback from our customers and the community.
As a local family-owned business we appreciate that our customers depend on this service for a variety of reasons, including accessing education, employment and health facilities. If you are particularly dependant on an element of the 326/327 it is essential that you let us know your views. The journeys that are most likely to be affected are services to Medway schools and off-peak services during the hours of 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday.
It is not likely that services to Sittingbourne schools will be affected, as these are generally well used. Also, if you have any views on how the 326/327 service can be improved then please do let us know below.
Alternatively you can write to us at Chalkwell Coach Hire, The Coach Depot, Unit 2A Church Road, Sittingbourne ME10 3RS. The closing date for submissions is Sunday 15th December. The current 326/327 service can be found here.
If you wish to let SGN know what you think then please contact them here.”
Upchurch Matters
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