Arriva has announced that its ArrivaClick demand-responsive minibus pilot scheme in Sittingbourne will end on Saturday 16 November.
The ArrivaClick pilot was launched in Sittingbourne 2017 to demonstrate the concept, which has since been rolled out in Leicestershire and on Merseyside. While overall it continues to see strong growth by attracting customers from private cars and taxis, the group says that Sittingbourne has not proved to be the right location for it.
Adds Business Development Director for Demand Responsive Transport in the UK Asiya Jelani: “The pilot in Sittingbourne will end this month as part of a move to focus on existing operations and to continue with new opportunities elsewhere.
“The insights that we’ve gained in the pilot have seen us expand to over 20 vehicles in Liverpool and enabled us to partner with a housing developer on a five-year contract to operate in Leicestershire. We will soon be announcing another partnership operation in a new location.”
Ms Jelani adds that Arriva “remains confident” in ArrivaClick’s long-term prospects. Details of the new location will be revealed within the next month. The minibuses currently used in Sittingbourne will be reallocated to other areas.
Arriva Southern Counties will introduce new fixed-route bus services to partially replace the withdrawn ArrivaClick service, although they will not serve Kent Science Park.
