Ebbsfleet Garden City’s flagship public transport improvement stalls

A meeting by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation tasked with delivering 15,000 homes at Ebbsfleet and surrounding areas has revealed bad news for those hoping for decent public transport in the area.

The “Garden City” has long supposed to have a Fastrack bus route though with thousands of homes now built there is still no route through the site for many new residents.

Plans were revealed four years ago but little has happened and now an answer within a report before July’s Board Meeting show plans for the link have stopped.

Procurement of a contractor for a tunnel linking the west of the site to Bluewater has been halted by Kent County Council “following a review of costs”

It states “KCC are currently reviewing funding options to secure the necessary funding shortfall to facilitate a new planning application, recommencement of their contractor procurement process, and if successful, the construction of the new Fastrack Bean Road tunnel.

“EDC are currently updating their original Grant Funding Business Case which, if approved by EDC Board, could provide KCC with a funding option to construct the tunnel, if required by KCC”.

So no certainty it’s going ahead.

Sprawl

The “Garden Village” has become something to car-dependent sprawl since work finally begun after many years of delay. Most homes built so far are on the east of the site.

There’s no east-west buses through this part either.

Yet while both Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and Kent County Council have failed with providing good quality public transport, they have been vocal on ULEZ.

The leader of Kent County Council piped up today. Maybe they should get their own house in order? Easier to complain to others rather than hoping people look at their own failings.

As for the area, if you like meandering roads, cul de sacs and cut-and-paste homes as seen every inch of the country then Ebbsfleet is for you. It’s a volume housebuilder’s fantasy. So much for all the aspirations of this apparently trailblazing site.

Ebbsfleet station is also located some way from most homes – and it isn’t the best walk. Thus those moving in will drive. There’s not much alternative. There’s already complaints about ever more congestion in the area.

It’s a textbook case in failing to plan and provide decent public transport. As for when Fastrack arrives? Well, who knows. Many more people will likely move in before it does.