Route 402

Route 402
23 June 2006

The 402 is probably the closest thing in existence now to any of the once extensive network of long cross-border routes operated by London Country, surviving more-or-less in its original form, but this is after a gap of a few years. Most routes have been cut back so that they only venture a short distance beyond the border on one side or the other, while the few that do still provide worthwhile cross-border facilities have all been substantially altered in other ways. Although the 402 has had a diversion, this is relatively short compared to the lost sections of the other routes.

For many years the route operated only between Bromley and Tonbridge, although the section between Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, shared with routes 403 and 404, was gradually reduced and withdrawn altogether during the 1970s. The 402 also operated direct via Polhill rather than deviating via Halstead and Knockholt Pound as the route does now. The latter points were covered by the 431 group of routes, which ran into Orpington.

The route was withdrawn completely in 1980, but at that time there was a parallel Green Line coach service (706), with the 431 covering most local travel requirements and also being diverted via Badgers Mount.

The 706, along with the 431, was withdrawn in 1987 when Kentish Bus "modernised" their network. Among the new routes was the 22, following the same route that the 402 does today, and differing from the 402 by serving Weald and Knockholt Pound. However, the new numbers were not well received by the passengers, so the old numbers were gradually re-instated as the opportunity arose. In the case of the 22 this opportunity came in 1990 when the route was, as 402, cut back to Sevenoaks again! However, Tonbridge was reached again in 1992, with an extension all the way to Tunbridge Wells, making the route almost 2 hours end to end.

In June 1997 the route was "re-launched" with newer Olympians, and operations were transferred within the newly formed Cowie empire to Maidstone & District’s Tunbridge Wells garage. The evening and Sunday service, which was operated under contract to London Transport and only ran between Pratt’s Bottom and Bromley, remained at the route’s traditional Dunton Green base as the allocation was shared with route 320, although Dunton Green itself closed that November; the evening and Sunday service did not last much longer.

The Olympians were painted in a red version of Arriva livery, although in practice these were often substituted with other Tunbridge Wells based vehicles in the standard aquamarine. Later, they were replaced by DAF double deckers which had been bought new in 1998 by the London & Country part of Arriva for the 85, and latterly operated by London United on sub-contract, after the 85 passed to London General. However a desire by TfL for low floor operation resulted in some DAF SB220/Plaxton Prestiage single deckers taking over in April 2006.

Photo © Adam Murray.

Seen in Bromley are 3919 (T919 KKM) on 3 June and 3918 (T918 KKM) on 18 April, a little in advance of the official conversion. These vehicles had previously been used on routes 480 and 490 between Gravesend and Bluewater/Dartford, and were new in 1999 when the service was beefed up upon the opening of Bluewater. The recent opening of the Kent Fastrack scheme, with more new buses, resulted in them becoming surplus.

The route never seemed to me a prime candidate for double deck operation anyway – even at the London end most potential passengers are abstracted from single deck route 358, so heavy loadings are not to be expected. The need for double deckers probably arose from the various schools served in the Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells areas, although it seems double deckers are no longer deemed necessary even for those flows.

The future of the route in London must be in some doubt – it is one of a dwindling number of non-TfL Local Service Agreement routes to accept London passes, and the trend for the last few years has been to convert the LLSAs to LSPs (London Service Permit) on expiry, where passes and London fares are not available. This would put the whole route in jeopardy as you cannot expect any route to survive solely on the traffic that is unique to it. Having said that, the LLSA was renewed last September and currently runs until next March. However, it is worth noting that the section through Knockholt Pound, Halstead and Badgers Mount, which has always anomalously accepted London passes, is actually outside Greater London, and the rest of the route is within walking distance of routes R5 and R8, so TfL may well not regard it as something warranting support from the London budget.

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Chronologically 697 45

Numerically 401 403
See also routes 403, 320, 85

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