The delayed Fastrack bus rapid transit route in Dover will start on 17 November, Kent County Council (KCC) has said. It will be operated by Stagecoach South East and serve Dover Priory railway station, Dover town centre, and the Whitfield area.
Stagecoach will initially use diesel buses ahead of the arrival of five new battery-electric examples in 2025. KCC previously said that the latter vehicles would be introduced by the end of 2024 when it confirmed that their procurement had been split from that of vehicles to electrify the larger Fastrack network in Kent Thameside.
Purchase of the Dover buses is being part-funded by £850,000 from the first round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme, which is also contributing to the purchase of 28 Irizar ie tram buses for the Thameside network.
KCC will deliver Dover Fastrack in partnership with Dover District Council (DDC) and thanks to funding from Homes England to stimulate housing growth at Whitfield and the former Connaught Barracks site.
The service will utilise existing and new roads as well as dedicated busways. A contraflow on an existing road will also be installed, funded via the county’s Bus Service Improvement Plan allocation.
Bus-only sections of roads will be enforced by automatic number plate recognition cameras, which will be in place from the date the Dover Fastrack service commences.
Speaking about the date for opening, Stagecoach South East Business Development Director Matthew Arnold says: “We are incredibly proud to be partnering with KCC and DCC on this signal project, which will bring the very first fleet of zero-emission, electric buses to east Kent.
“This is a serious investment in a high-quality, ultra-modern public transport solution and it demonstrates what can be achieved where central and local government work together, alongside a commercial operator, to deliver something remarkable for local people.”
