Dartford councillors have blasted Kent County Council’s decision to reduce bus services.

Eight councillors sent a letter to KCC’s cabinet member for environment and transport Councillor Matthew Balfour, describing the withdrawal of funding from the DART bus service as "short-sighted".

The councillors for the Princes and Temple Hill wards said they are "extremely disappointed" that from next month operators, Go-Coaches, will no longer run the early and late services of the 453 and will be reducing the day bus service by half after KCC withdrew funding for the route.

The letter, sent on March 9, said: "The decision to withdraw the funding does appear to us as particularly short-sighted as only a year has elapsed since the route’s introduction.

"We cannot understand why new ventures such as the DART bus service are not fully assessed beforehand to ensure that they have a longer term future instead of being determined by short term decision making and with the inevitable consequence of causing so much disappointment to the community."

 The letter was signed by coun Geoff Prout, coun Pat Kelly, coun Rosie Bryant, coun Tom Maddison, coun Daisy Page, coun Matthew Bryant, coun Ann Muckle and coun Dave Baker.

A KCC spokesman said the funding for the service had run out and the increased number of passengers did not provide enough to keep the service.

He said: "The DART1 and DART2 service was introduced using section 106 funding from a local development. 

"Section 106 cash is a fixed amount of money gained from planning applications to support local infrastructure.

"KCC worked with local partners to use the section 106 funding for an enhancement trial of the 453 bus route and created the DART service. 

"Previously the 453 service was fully subsidised solely by the council.

"The section 106 contribution to the service has now run out and whilst it did see a noteworthy growth in passengers, it was unfortunately not enough to sustain the operating cost at the current service levels.

"KCC remains committed to the service and will continue to provide the same level of funding as it did prior to the extra money being available and is not withdrawing any funds for the DART routes. 

"However, without the additional external funding, the service will revert to an hourly timetable in the off peak, similar to that of previous route 453."

Do you use this bus service? Will this reduction affect you? Call the newsdesk on 01689 885 21 or email hwood@london.newsquest.co.uk