Arriva has decided to axe the extended 477 service from Orpington to Darent Valley Hospital and Bluewater shopping centre.
The longer route was in operation until October 2022, when it was shortened so that it only went as far as Dartford.
After a campaign supported by MP Laura Trott, services to the hospital and shopping centre were reinstated last summer, initially on a six month trial basis.
Arriva agreed to extend the trial for a further four months, but have now said that services beyond Dartford will end on May 31.
The bus company claims that customer demand had not met the “necessary levels to cover the additional costs” of running the extended route.
Laure Trott MP has now said that she is “deeply disappointed” by the decision.
“The response from residents when I conducted my petition was crystal clear that a direct service from Crockenhill, Swanley, Hextable and Wilmington to Darent Valley Hospital and Bluewater is needed,” she explained.
“We know residents were using it, albeit not in the numbers Arriva required.
“I will keep fighting – alongside our excellent county councillors Perry Cole and Avtar Sandhu – for this service to be reinstated.”
Kent councillor Perry Cole added that the decision was “terrible” news.
“It is so important for local residents – particularly those with mobility difficulties – that they are able to access Darent Valley Hospital without changing buses, as well as for shoppers to get to Bluewater,” he said.
“I hope that Arriva will change their decision and give us time to find the additional funding needed.”
A spokesperson for Arriva South said: “Despite efforts to promote the service, usage has proven insufficient to sustain the extension.
“Alternative services remain: buses run every four minutes from Dartford to Darent Valley Hospital and every two minutes to Bluewater, with easy transfers at Dartford.”
