Major bus route changes come into force

Stagecoach has made a number of changes to its routes and timetables in Kent

Changes to Stagecoach bus routes in parts of Kent come into force on Sunday.

Most services in the Dover, Folkestone and Romney Marsh areas will have new timetables and some routes will be amended. There are also some new routes being introduced.

Stagecoach said the changes would improve reliability and punctuality, make services more reliant and "create new connections".

However, some streets will be dropped from current routes, while the early morning 19 bus from Swingfield to Folkestone will be cancelled altogether due to low passenger numbers.

Rebecca Sawbridge, from Dover Town Council and Save Our Buses, said buses were a "last resort for the poor and the elderly".

"We need a generally a better bus service after repeated cuts over the years," she said. "We're simply going to have more cars on the road as a result of these changes."

A new "Fastrack" service will link Whitfield with Dover Priory Railway Station, while Stagecoach's 102 coastal service linking Dover, Folkestone and Romney Marsh becomes four separate, extended routes.

The 102 will run between Lydd and Folkestone Harbour, the new 103 between Lydd-on-Sea and Folkestone Harbour, the new 104 between Hythe and Dover, and the new 105 between Folkestone Bus Station and Dover.

The Fastrack services run every 20 minutes from Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays.

Stagecoach said that the overlaps of the service routes had been designed to provide a higher frequency of service where demand is greatest.

There is also a new route, the 65, between Aycliffe and Dover town centre, replacing part of the 64 service.

Passengers should check the Stagecoach South East website for full details on the changes.