A “valuable” and “important” village bus route has been saved just days before it was due to be axed.

Arriva faced backlash from residents after it announced it was stopping its 489 service from New Ash Green to Gravesend as of June 1.

The bus operator said it would be withdrawing the route, which also served Hartley, Longfield, New Barn, Southfleet and Northfleet, due to low passenger numbers.

It was part of wider changes made to the bus network, which included the sudden cut of the 497 school bus route from Ebbsfleet Academy to Temple Hill, in Dartford.

A spokesperson for Arriva South explained: “We have had to make a difficult decision to change our network to ensure we can balance the cost of running services with the revenue we receive.

“Unfortunately, this means the 489 service will be withdrawn, as passenger numbers have remained too low to sustain it.

“We understand this is disappointing for those who do use the service, and it is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have explored every option to keep it running, but sadly, it is no longer viable.”

However, councillors and residents have slammed the decision, as many feared they would be left stranded without a regular bus service.

The 489 ran six times on weekdays and four times on Saturdays in both directions, with no service on Sundays.

It has since been revealed Kent County Council (KCC) has appointed bus operator Go-Coach to continue the route, albeit temporarily from Monday (June 2.)

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “There will be no changes to the timetable once Go-Coach take over, and a full review will take place to determine a longer-term solution.

“This intervention has only been possible due to the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding from the government, which is currently secured until March 2026.

“A priority in our BSIP is to protect existing essential services, particularly those that help children get to school.

“This costs over £5.5 million each year, which is a large portion of this funding.”

New Barn resident June Jarman uses the 489 at least once a week and said she relies on it to get around, particularly to the hospital and doctors’ appointments.

The 76-year-old said: “We were all really happy to hear it was going to continue.

“It is very important. Just because we live in a rural area does not mean we do not deserve a bus service. We still need the same facilities.

“There comes a point where you cannot drive anymore, and we are reliant on public services, which we do not have.

“Go-Coach is very reliable, so we are all pleased it is taking it over. We can breathe easily now until August at least.”

Ward councillor for Longfield, New Barn and Southfleet, Jeremy Kite, has been working with colleagues and KCC to restore the route for his constituents.

The Tory leader of Dartford council said the new operators will be running a replacement service in the short term while working to make it more sustainable in the long term.

He added: “It is a really valuable route for school children and shoppers. This will rescue the service and put it back on.

“But, we now have to make the service successful. There is no point putting it on if it is not going to be successful.

“We have got to make the necessary adjustments to make it sustainable, as we would not be doing the community any favours if it is saved for a short period of time.

“For the villages I represent, isolation is a real problem. It is not about the convenience of a bus, it is about having no choice at all.

“I am really, really pleased and delighted.”

Go-Coach already runs around 40 bus services across Kent and Sussex, with the majority operated on behalf of KCC from its depot in Swanley.

This is not the first time Arriva has stopped buses serving New Ash Green.

In October 2022, the 423 service to Darent Valley Hospital was withdrawn due to a decline in passenger numbers, but campaigners accused it of disincentivising the service by making it "unreliable and expensive".

At the time, the bus company stated passengers would be able to use the 489 and change for onward travel.