Taxi bus service to start on Monday

Following KCC's Big Conversation on support for rural public transport, the first of the resulting pilot schemes to get under way starts running on Monday, and it's in part of the Darent Valley.

The Sevenoaks taxi bus will run from Fairseat and Stansted to West Kingsdown, then into East Hill, down into Otford (by the station) and finally to Sevenoaks (bus station). It will run off peak, Mondays to Fridays, with set stops but also a hail and ride facility in more rural areas such as East Hill.

The taxi bus model uses a smaller vehicle suitable to the patronage expected in this area. Concessionary Travel passes are accepted (though a voluntary contribution of £1 may be made); other fares will be £3 for a single journey, £5 for a return (and £1 for a child). The service is run by Express Cabs and Couriers, in partnership with Kent County Council.

Other pilot schemes in Tenterden and Sandwich will be getting under way in the next few weeks. The latest on the rural transport initiatives, including details and timetable for the Sevenoaks pilot, can be found on the Kent County Council website.

A new commitment on fly-tipping

KCC's new policy of introducing a modest charge on certain forms of 'non-household waste', such as rubble and hardcore, at its 18 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) will come into effect on 3 June.

The policy is a controversial one, with many residents concerned that it will lead to an increase in fly-tipping, especially in rural areas (such as my own Division of Sevenoaks North and Darent Valley). The County Council argues that experience elsewhere - and many other authorities have introduced such a charge - does not indicate that fly-tipping will increase. There is evidence to support this claim, but it isn't widely accepted (as I know from my own experience of discussing the issue at parish and residents' association meetings).

At the County Council meeting last Thursday, KCC Leader Paul Carter, while confirming that the charges will go ahead, made three key announcements linked to its implementation:

• Despite earlier concerns, agreement has been reached with Medway Council that the reciprocal rights of each council's residents to use the other's recycling facilities (an important issue for Kent residents living near the Medway border) will continue unchanged
• A new KCC HWRC will be established at Allington in Tonbridge and Malling (and near Maidstone) to serve the local area and ease pressure on Medway's facility at Cuxton
• £250,000 will be invested in additional measures to work with District Councils to tackle fly tipping, including ultimately bringing prosecutions against offenders

All these announcements are very welcome, especially the last. I have always regretted that the County Council, as part of its heavy savings requirements in recent years, had to scale back the 'Clean Kent' initiatives by which it worked with the Districts to tackle fly tipping. This went beyond our statutory duties but was well worth it. We still provide some enforcement support and expertise, but hopefully this new commitment will get us back a little to the more extensive role taken by the County Council in tackling what remains one of resdients' most common concerns.