Now you see them, now you don’t.

Maidstone’s bus shelters have been fast disappearing this week, leaving passengers confused as to where to catch their bus.

Several have already been removed from the town’s High Street, where they were only installed in 2012 as part of the High Street regeneration. In total 87 shelters across the borough will be replaced.

The change has been brought about because the borough council, which is responsible for the shelters, decided to switch contracts away from their previous provider JC Decaux.

Eventually, the council hopes to save money, but admits there will be a delay before new shelters are installed.

A spokesman said: “At some stops, there may be a short period with no shelter before the new one is installed, however bus services will continue as normal. The new shelters are a similar style to those being replaced.”

The contract with JC Decaux had run for 15 years. In return for providing, maintaining and cleaning the shelters at no cost to the council, the company was granted the exclusive advertising rights on those shelters.

In September last year, Maidstone council decided to pursue a different tack.
The council has engaged Trueform Engineering to supply new bus shelters - at a cost of £347,100 - and a separate contractor will clean and maintain the shelters, and sell the advertising.

The council’s property and procurement manager David Tibbit said: “The arrangement should provide the council with a net income that will pay back the investment in new shelters within 11 years.”

On Monday, some of the bus stops were left with neither shelter nor stop-pole, leaving nothing to mark the stop. But they have now had temporary poles put in place.

Bus-user Ronald Hales-Reed said: “It’s very confusing, especially for older people and is going to dissuade people from using the town centre shops.”