Villagers claim changes to bus timetables will make them feel like prisoners in their own homes as services in rural areas are hit.

Arriva plans a raft of alterations to services in Gravesham and Dartford from Sunday, August 9, which it says is part of improvements across the area.

But changes to the 423, 433 and 489 routes have been described as “ridiculous” by residents living in Hartley and New Ash Green who complain fewer buses will run from their communities.

They fear pensioners will have difficult journeys to appointments at Darent Valley Hospital and could wait three-and-a-half hours to catch a bus home.

An online petition, to Arriva’s operations manager Mark Coleman calling for a rethink has gathered 334 signatures.

Speaking at the Wellfield Community Centre in Hartley, villagers described the bus firm’s actions as “totally inconvenient”.

Barbara Bradford, 66, said: "This is ridiculous. It will make people feel like prisoners in their own homes.

"There are a lot of elderly people in this community, more than families I would say, and we all rely on the buses."

Linda Maidment, 66, of Foxbury, New Ash Green, said: "I’m absolutely livid. We don’t want to be dependent on our children.

"I feel like we are going back in time. It feels like we are the village that everyone has forgotten about."

Dennis Ashcroft, 86, of Wellfield, said: "I actually stopped driving because the bus service was convenient but these new changes will make it rubbish.

"I can walk a bit but if you live on the estate and you’re disabled then it’s hopeless. I can remember before the war the bus service was better than it is now."

Villager Veronica McGannon, 69, said she was one of a handful of drivers on the Wellfield estate who have taken people into Longfield and New Ash Green because they have been waiting too long for a bus.

She said: "I’m not the only one, we all have the same idea if we see someone at the bus stop."

According to the Arriva website, more frequent buses will serve Riverview Park in Gravesend while other routes will be simplified.

Fastrack services will be run by a fleet of 21 new low-carbon buses with free Wi-fi, audio-visual displays and eco-leather seats.

Arriva marketing manager Richard Lewis said: "Our review will bring improvements to many areas with enhanced frequencies and an extension of our high-quality Sapphire service into Riverview Park, but we have had to revise some less well-used services in order that those services can be sustained.

"We are a commercial business that is required to run profitably and regrettably we had to look at the Hartley and New Ash Green routes as insufficient use is being made of them to cover the costs.

"However, the new timetables are designed to retain services for the majority of our customers and most links will remain.

"The main service to Dartford will continue to run hourly, the service to Longfield shops and station will continue to run twice an hour, most peak-time buses will continue to run and Wellfield will still be served at least hourly.

"There will be one fewer off-peak bus to Gravesend and the link to Darent Valley Hospital and Bluewater which has been poorly used will be reduced."

MP Gareth Johnson said: "I have expressed my concerns to Arriva about the proposed changes and the very limited consultation.

"These are essential services for local residents and I hope that Arriva recognise the detrimental impact any reduction of this service would have."

To view the changes click here.