Bus passengers have been left with some good news after a bus line which was set to be axed has been taken over by a new company.

Some services which were due to be cut by Arriva have now been picked up by the private Nu-Venture bus company.

Starting on July 24, the firm will run “shopping time” trips, Monday to Friday.

English National Concession Passes will be accepted and payment can be made by cash or card.

The Nu-Venture Bus 55 will provide two round trips in Maidstone between the Ringlestone Estate, Maidstone East Station and King Street.

It’s welcome news to residents in Ringlestone who said they were going to be stranded on the estate after Arriva announced it was withdrawing its service.

The Nu-Venture Bus 78, previously discontinued in 2022 because of driver shortages, has been resurrected and will provide two round trips in each direction between Queens Road, Barming, Upper Fant Road and Maidstone Town Centre.

The 130A will provide two round trips daily in each direction between Penenden Heath Hedges, Maidstone East Station and King Street, supplementing the existing Nu-Venture 130 bus in the Boxley Road area.

The existing 79A/79C are being revised and renumbered 79 with timetable changes allowing around thirty minutes extra shopping time in the town centre to meet local requests.

Bus 79 will start at Mid Kent Shopping Centre, serving Tintern Road, Castle Road, Conway Road, Maxwell Drive and Poplar Grove en route to/from Maidstone Town Centre.

But the section of route which currently serves Headingley Road, Allington Way and Hildenborough Crescent is being discontinued for now, pending the possible creation of parking restrictions to allow buses free passage through poorly parked vehicles.

Full timetables for the affected routes will be available from July 10 at the company’s website.

But Nu-Venture’s owner Norman Kemp warned: “Please note that these services receive no financial support from local authorities – their long-term continuation is wholly dependent on sufficient passenger numbers.”