Operator steps in to take over bus route

The closure, announced in early September, would have left residents without access to important destinations

A bus company has stepped in to take over the running of a service between Dartford and Orpington, after the current operator announced plans to quit the route.

Go-Ahead, who will operate under the new name Kent Country, will take over the 477 route from Arriva.

The route, which also serves Crockenhill, Swanley, Hextable and Wilmington, was due to be pulled in October.

An Arriva spokesperson previously told the BBC it understood the local disappointment, and that the decision had "not been taken lightly".

Residents said the closure, announced in early September, would have left them without access to important destinations, including schools and places of work.

The new service will begin on 26 October and will operate from the depot of Fastrack, one of the companies ran by Go-Ahead.

Isobel Hedley-Jones, from Fastrack, said: "We recognise the vital role this route plays in connecting people to essential destinations, and we are committed to supporting the community through this transition."