News MBC sad to see the end of Park and Ride

Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) has said it is sad to learn that the Park and Ride service run by Arriva under a commercial contract will cease in February next year.

MBC has supported the service for many years previously, and since Arriva took over the Park and Ride in May 2019, by providing sites at two locations at Willington Street and London Road, but the bus service will end on Saturday 19 February 2022.

Cllr Paul Cooper, MBC Chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee said:

We are very disappointed that Arriva will no longer provide this service, however, we do understand how difficult it has been for Arriva with the reduction of passengers since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Maidstone Park and Ride service has been heavily hit by Covid-19 which saw passenger numbers substantially reduce.

Cllr Cooper continues:

We know that there has been a modest increase in the number of people using the service as lockdown restrictions initially lifted however, passengers have not returned to use the service and numbers have not met pre-pandemic levels which has made it very difficult for Arriva.

We understand how hard it has been for any business trying to survive in these very unusual circumstances and one which none of us could have predicted. The Council has facilitated the Park and Ride service as much as we possibly could prior to and throughout Covid but understands why Arriva has made the decision to withdraw the service.

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