Overgrown bushes at a bus shelter are causing people to be missed by drivers and left stranded.

That is according to Cllr Vanessa Jones, who says she has had complaints about the lack of visibility at the stop in Lordswood, near Chatham.

Despite being officially in the borough of Maidstone, the bus stop in Gleaming Wood Drive is just yards from the border with Medway and residents use it to catch Arriva’s 166 to Chatham.

Cllr Jones, who represents the area on Maidstone council, said: "I'm getting complaints that buses don't always stop as the drivers don't see people waiting at the shelter.

"I have reported this to Kent County Council (KCC) who have responsibility for vegetation on public land across Maidstone.

"The bus shelter falls within Boxley ward and Maidstone council - the boundary of Maidstone and Medway is a couple of hundred yards away.

"Everybody wants to live in a clean, tidy and well-maintained area, and that's what I'm trying to help with.

"I think it's important for me to do weekly, ward walks so I can pick up on things like this - especially as vegetation is such a big issue and falls within the remit of KCC."

A spokesman for bus operator Arriva says they “are aware” of the issue and “are working with KCC to resolve this”.

An inspection of the bus shelter is on the cards according to KCC.

A spokesman added: “We are aware of a report of vegetation growing near a bus shelter in Gleaming Wood Drive.

“While bus shelters are not routinely owned by KCC, we do have a responsibility to ensure hedges and other vegetation is not blocking the highway and causing a safety hazard.

“Our team will arrange for the site to be inspected in due course and will arrange any work necessary or issue a notice to the landowner if the hedge is not maintained by KCC.”

Commenting on social media, one person, who also works as a bus driver, says passengers could easily be missed.

They explained: "At night and when it’s raining too? Someone in there will not be spotted.”

Others seemed to point their frustration towards the council for the issue emerging.

"The pavement in Bracken hill, on the right as you go down, is getting badly overgrown too – [plus] some of the pavement as you go into Round Wood Close," another added.

“One of the neighbours has to cut the verges because the council don’t.”

“I’ve been chasing them about all the overgrown edges pathways and anything else to do with grasses and verges," a different resident declared.