TfL could reduce buses to Bluewater because of Kent cash demands

Buses linking Woolwich and Bluewater are being reviewed by Transport for London after the Reform-run Kent County Council hiked charges to use an access road to reach the shopping centre.

Councillors in Dartford have been told that TfL is considering reducing the number of its buses that run east of the town to Darent Valley Hospital and Bluewater, but not scrapping them altogether.

Three TfL services run to Bluewater, including the busy 96 route which serves Woolwich and Plumstead. 

The disagreement centres on a short stretch of road between Darent Valley Hospital and the shopping centre that was built for Fastrack, a Kent-controlled bus network linking Dartford, Ebbsfleet and Gravesend. 

Only Fastrack services could use this road when it was built 20 years ago, but in 2017 TfL came to an agreement with Kent which allowed the 96 to use the busway to avoid queues at the hospital and Bluewater.

But TfL says Kent has asked for a “significant increase” in the charges, prompting it to review services to Darent Valley, which caters for patients from SE London as well as Kent, and Bluewater. On the 96, more than 1,000 passengers each day board at Bluewater, with hundreds more getting on at the hospital.

Bluewater is also used as an interchange for fast buses to the Medway Towns – a link that will become more important this summer with the government’s rail service cuts. 

Three months ago, a committee of Dartford and Kent councillors heard that TfL was considering withdrawing all its services east of the town centre: the 96, the 428 from Erith and the 492 from Sidcup, according to its published minutes. However, that same committee heard on Tuesday that TfL was considering reducing its services instead.

“We’ve had ongoing discussions with TfL in relation to red buses in the area,” Shane Hymers, Kent’s development manager for Fastrack, told the meeting of Dartford’s joint transportation board, made up of councillors from both authorities and local parish councils.

“The immediate action is nothing’s going to change, but TfL are considering some reduction in through services beyond Dartford to the hospital and Bluewater, but not a complete withdrawal.” 

Hymers added: “I think that some comfort in that TfL are saying the links are still important to us, and there’s through journeys [from Greater London] that will still exist. I think if there is a reduction, there’s so many local services [in Kent] that will fill the gap.

“We have no concerns about local trips, but for those travelling from and to London, it’s great that there’ll be a level of service remaining, even if it’s reduced.”

Hymers said that TfL had agreed a fee with Kent for using the Fastrack busway, and had an “exit strategy” if it ever did want to pull out. He also said that the busway was in a poor condition and money had been secured for its resurfacing.

A TfL spokesperson told The Greenwich Wire: “We know buses are an important lifeline for millions of Londoners. We are committed to continually reviewing our services and ensuring they remain value for money.

“We receive no funding from Kent County Council or Dartford Borough Council for the services we run and Kent charges TfL for the use of the Fastrack busway between Darent Valley Hospital and Bluewater.

“Kent has recently asked TfL for a significant increase in that contribution, which would impact the financial sustainability of the service. This change has prompted TfL to review affected buses. Any proposed changes to destinations of routes would be subject to a full public consultation.”

The sums of money in question have not been disclosed.

TfL has made numerous cuts to its bus routes over the past decade in an attempt to stem the losses on the network, which is subsidised by income from the Tube, Elizabeth Line and congestion charging.

Services which leave Greater London have come under the spotlight in its attempt to save money, including routes to Bluewater. All three buses have all served the giant shopping centre since it opened in 1999. They accept TfL’s Oyster cards, are part of the capital’s fare system with its price caps and hopper tickets, and are cheaper to use than their Fastrack or commercial equivalents.

The 96 service has been improved in recent years, including adding extra Sunday morning buses. But in 2019, TfL announced plans to cut the 428 back to Crayford and the 492 to Dartford. These proposals were shelved the following year following objections from MPs and councils on both sides of the border as well as passengers. 

News of a potential issue with buses to Darent Valley Hospital and Bluewater emerged when minutes of the meeting in March were highlighted on a bus enthusiasts’ forum earlier this week. Those minutes included the possibility of a commercial operator, Go-Bus, starting new services to fill the gap if TfL did pull out.

The Reform administration in Kent, which was elected last year, has also hit controversy by planning to increase the cost of school travel passes in the county by 26 per cent.

On Thursday, three Labour MPs for constituencies along the 96 route – Abena Oppong-Asare for Erith & Thamesmead, Daniel Francis for Bexleyheath & Crayford and Jim Dickson for Dartford – wrote to Kent’s leader, Linden Kemkaran, asking her to withdraw what they called a “bus tax”. They also said they had asked for a meeting with TfL to discuss the issue.

Kent County Council told The Greenwich Wire: “KCC continues to support services in the area and is working closely with Transport for London to ensure passengers can access local amenities and destinations, including Darent Valley Hospital.

“While we are unable to comment further at this stage, we can confirm that discussions are ongoing and that services remain available.”

Updated at 4.15pm on Thursday with comment from Kent County Council and at 7pm to include comments from three MPs.

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