Stagecoach in East Kent
| Parent | Stagecoach Group |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Canterbury, Kent |
| Locale | East Kent |
| Service area | Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Faversham, Folkestone, Hastings, Herne Bay, Maidstone, Thanet |
| Service type | bus service |
| Hubs | Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone, Dover, Hastings, Herne Bay, Margate, Ramsgate |
| Fuel type | Diesel and Bio Diesel |
| Operator | Stagecoach South East |
| Website |
Stagecoach in East Kent, which forms part of Stagecoach South East, operate many routes within the East Kent region. The company operate both frequent town routes to infrequent rural service; for example the Thanet Loop runs about every 7 minutes on Mondays to Fridays compared to the 123, which has just 4 journeys on Weekdays. The company have introduced a large number of new buses in the past few years to meet with the step free access law on buses which came into place in January 2017.
Routes and frequencies
| Route | Start | End | Days of operation | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashford | Canterbury | Monday - Saturday | 2 Hourly |
| 2 | Ashford | Hastings | Monday - Saturday | 2 Hourly |
| 3, 3A, 3B, 3X | Canterbury | Faversham Sittingbourne |
Daily | 10-20 mins Mon-Sat Hourly Sunday |
| 5 | Canterbury | Seasalter | Daily, but Sunday service operated by Chalkwell | Hourly Mon-Sat 120 mins Sunday |
| 7 | Canterbury | Herne Bay | Monday - Saturday | 6 journeys Mon-Sat 4 journeys Sunday |
| 8, 8A | Canterbury | Westwood Cross or Northdown Park | 15 mins Mon-Sat 30 mins Sunday | |
| 9 | Canterbury | Westwood Cross | Monday - Saturday | hourly |
| 10, 10A | Folkestone | Ashford | Daily | Hourly Mon-Sat 4 jounrneys Sunday |
| 10X | Ashford | Maidstone | Daily | Hourly Mon-Sat 5 journeys Sunday |
| 11, 11A, 11B | Ashford | Lydd | Monday - Saturday | Hourly |
| 11 | Canterbury | Westwood Cross | Monday - Saturday | 5 journeys |
| 12 | Canterbury | Deal | Monday - Saturday | Hourly |
| 15 | Canterbury | Dover | Daily | 20 mins Mon - Sat 120 mins (15) Sundays |
| Gold 16 | Canterbury | Folkestone Hythe |
Daily | 15 mins (30 mins to Hythe) 30 mins Sunday |
| 17 | Folkestone | Canterbury | Daily | Hourly Mon - Sat 120 mins Sunday |
| 18 | Canterbury | Hythe | Monday - Saturday | 5 journeys |
| 21, 21A | Canterbury | Canterbury via Hales Place | Daily | 15 mins Hourly Sunday |
| 22, 22A | Canterbury | London Road Estate | Daily | 15 mins Monday - Saturday Hourly Sunday |
| 23 | Canterbury | Canterbury via Spring Lane Estate | Monday - Saturday | 20 mins |
| 25, 25A | Canterbury | Kent and Canterbuy Hospital | Daily | 7 mins (Mon-Fir) 20 mins (Sat) Hourly Sunday |
| 26A | University of Kent | Sturry Road | Saturdays only, Term Times only | 40 minutes |
| 27 | Canterbury | London Road Estate | Monday - Saturday | Hourly |
| 32 | Garlinge | Dane Valley | Daily | 15 mins Mondays to Saturdays |
| 33 | Broadstairs | Margate | Monday - Saturday | Hourly |
| 34 | Ramsgate | Minnis Bay | Monday - Saturday | 30 mins (34) Hourly (34A) |
| 38, 38A | Birchington-on-Sea | Palm Bay | Monday - Saturday, off-peak only | Hourly |
| 39 | Dumpton | Broadstairs Asda | Monday - Saturday, off-peak only | Hourly |
| 42 | Monkton | Ramsgate | Monday - Saturday, off-peak only | 75 minutes |
| 43 | Canterbury | Sandwich - some journeys extending to Ramsgate & Westwood | Every 20 mins Canterbury to Sandwich, hourly Sandwich/Ramsgate/Westwood Mon-Sat, hourly Canterbury/Sandwich Sundays. | |
| 56 | Broadstairs | Margate | Monday - Saturday | Hourly |
| 60, 60A | Dover | St. Radigunds Whitfield (60A) |
Daily | 20 mins to St. Radingunds or Hourly to Whitfield Mon-Sat Hourly Sunday |
| 61, 61A | Whitfield | Aycliffe | Daily | 15 minutes Monday - Saturday 30 mins (Hourly to Aycliffe) Sunday |
| 62 | Dover | The Linces | Monday - Saturday | 20 minutes |
| 63 | Dover | Tower Hamlets | Daily | 20 minutes Monday-Saturday Hourly Sunday |
| 68 | Temple Ewell | Maxton | Monday - Saturday, off-peak only | Hourly |
| 71 | Cheriton | Creteway Down | Daily | 15 minutes Monday-Saturday 30 minutes Sunday |
| 72 | Cheriton | East CLiff | Daily | 30 minutes (Cheriton - Folkestone only on Sundays) |
| 73 | Cheriton | Hawkinge | Monday - Saturday | 30 minutes |
| 77, 78 | Folkestone | Golden Valley Shorncliffe (77 only) |
Monday to Saturday | 30 minutes |
| 80, 81 | Deal | Dover | Monday to Saturday every 30 mins combined, Sunday hourly. | |
| 82, 82A | Kingsdown | Mill Hill | Monday - Saturday | Hourly, every 30 mins Deal/Mill Hill. |
| 83 | Deal | Deal via Walmer | Monday to Saturday, hourly. | |
| 84 | Deal | Deal via Sandown | Monday to Saturday, hourly. | |
| 89, 89A | Canterbury | Dover | Daily | 30 minutes (Canterbury - Aylesham) Hourly to Dover |
| 90 | Deal | Dover | Monday to Saturday daytimes, hourly. | |
| 91 | Folkestone | Dover | Monday - Saturday | 5 journeys Weekdays and 4 journeys Saturdays |
| 100 | Lydd | Conquest Hospital | Daily | Hourly Monday to Saturday Hourly Sunday |
| 101 | Dover | Conquest Hospital | Daily | Hourly Monday-Saturday Hourly Sunday |
| 102 | Dover | Lydd-on-Sea | Daily | 30 minutes Dover - New Romney, Hourly to Lydd-on-Sea Monday-Saturday Hourly Sunday |
| 123 | Ashford | Biddenden | Monday - Friday | 4 journeys |
| 666 | Ashford | Faversham | Monday to Saturday | Hourly Monday - Friday 120 minutes Saturday |
| Little & Often A | Ashford Town Centre | Singleton | Daily | 10 minutes Monday-Saturday daytime 30 minutes daytime Sunday |
| AD | Town Centre - Arlington - Singleton - Stanhope - Town Centre | Weekday evenings and Sundays | 30 minutes (more frequent early evening) | |
| Little & Often B | Park Farm, Kent | Kennington | Daily | 12 minutes (up to every 15 minutes on Sundays) |
| Little & Often C | Ashford | William Harvey Hospital | Daily | 10 minutes (up to every 15 minutes on Sundays) |
| D | Town Centre Ashford | Stanhope | Daily | 15 mins Monday to Saturday 30 mins Sunday daytime |
| Little & Often G | South Willesborough | Godinton Park | Daily | 30 minutes Monday-Saturday Hourly Ashford - Godinton Park only Sunday |
| Thanet Loop | Margate | Margate via QEQM Hospital, Westwood Cross, Ramsgate Rail Station, Ramsgate, Dumpton Park, Broadstairs, St Peter's & Cliftonville | Daily | 7–8 minutes Monday-Saturday 10 minutes Sunday |
| Triangle | Canterbury | Canterbury via Herne Bay and Whitstable | Every 15 mins Mondays to Sundays, every 30 mins evenings. | |
| Unibus | Canterbury | University of Kent | Daily | 7–8 minutes term time or 15 minutes non term time Monday-Saturday 30 minutes on term time Sunday only |
| nite unibus | Canterbury | University of Kent | Every Night except Sunday, Term Time only | 30–60 minutes |
| New Dover Road Park & Ride | Canterbury | New Dover Road car park | Daily | 7–8 minutes Monday-Saturday 15 minutes Sunday |
| Sturry Road Park & Ride | Canterbury | Sturry car park | Daily | 7–8 minutes Monday-Saturday 15 minutes Sunday |
| Wincheap Park & Ride | Canterbury | Wincheap car park | Monday - Saturday | 7–8 minutes |
Depots
- Ashford;
1, 1A, 1X, 2, 2A, 10, 10A, 10X, 11, 11A, 11B, 123, 666, A, Little & Often B, Little & Often C, Little & Often E and Little & Often G.
- Dover;
12, 15, 43, 60A, 61, 62, 63, 68, 82, 80, 81, 89, 89A, 90 and Canterbury Park & Ride routes.
- Folkestone;
10, 10A, 10X, Stagecoach Gold 16, 17, 18, 71, 72, 73, 77, 78, 91, 100, 101, 102, 127 and 160.
- Herne Bay;
3, 3A, 3B, 3X, 4, 5, 6, 7, 21, 22, 23, 23A, 25, 25A, 26, 26A, 27, Triangle and unibus.
- Westwood (Thanet);
8, 8A, 9, 11, 32, 33, 34, 38, 39, 40, 43, 42, 56 and the Thanet Loop.
The Main Services
The Triangle
The Triangle runs a circular service from Canterbury to Canterbury, calling at the seaside towns of Whitstable and Herne Bay. Clockwise route runs Canterbury/Whitstable/Herne Bay/Canterbury, while anticlockwise route runs Canterbury/Herne Bay/Whitstable/Canterbury. Each route runs every 15 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytimes and also Sunday daytimes. The route is operated with branded Scania E400MMC double-deckers.
The Breeze
The Breeze runs from Canterbury and Margate every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The 8 runs from Margate via QEQM Hospital to Westwood Cross to and 8A from Margate via Cliftonville to Northdown Park It takes from 50mins to an hour to get from Canterbury to Margate, and a further 30mins from Margate to Broadstairs, depending on traffic. The route is operated with Scania E400MMC double-deckers.
Gold 16
Gold 16 is part of the Stagecoach Gold network and has upgraded the route from Hythe and Folkestone to Canterbury. Gold 16 runs every half hour from Hythe and then via Sandgate to Folkestone. From Folkestone Gold 16 has 15 minute frequency to Canterbury via Hawkinge, Densole and the A2 to Canterbury. The service runs every 30 minutes on Sunday and also serves Bridge. It takes roughly 40 mins to travel from Canterbury to Folkestone, and 1hr 10mins to get from Canterbury to Hythe, depending on traffic.
The Wave Service
Stagecoach in East Kent and Stagecoach in Hastings operates The Wave 100, 101 and 102 service running every 15 minutes between New Romney and Dover via Folkestone, Hythe and Dymchurch. 101 buses continue from New Romney to Lydd and Hastings via Lydd Airport and Winchelsea. The 100 service continue hourly via Fairlight. Two hourly 102 buses continues from New Romney to Greatstone-on-Sea and Lydd-on-Sea. There is also limited service between Lydd-on-Sea and Lydd. On Sundays and Public Holidays the route is less frequent running every 30 minutes between Dover and New Romney and hourly to Lydd and 2 hourly to Hastings and hourly to Lydd-on-Sea. Route 100 buses get into Hastings, Hastings Railway station|Rail Station]] just before The Wave 99 service to Bexhill-on-Sea and Eastbourne. The service is run by branded Scania N250UD/ Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMC.
The Thanet Loop service
The Thanet Loop is Stagecoach and Thanet's most frequent route and Thanet's main route. Just like the Thanet Stars service the Thanet Loop links up Thanet Towns and Villages. The Thanet Loop is a massive Loop incorporating Margate, Westwood Cross, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. The route runs in both directions about every 7 minutes Monday to Saturday and every 10 mins on Sunday. The Loop has late night services too on weekend nights, finishing at 2am. The service is run by branded Alexander Dennis Enviro 200.
Unibus
The Unibus service is for all of the public although it is the University of Kent dedicated bus. The service runs every 7-8 mins term time All days and every 15 mins non term time on Monday to Saturday only. The service uses Scania N230UD/ Alexander Dennis Enviro400 running on bio-fuel from Chip Oil and Lard. Also the buses have free wi-fi on board too.[1] There are special Unirider tickets too.[2]
Canterbury Park and Ride
Stagecoach run the Monday to Saturday Canterbury Park and Ride services running every 8 mins to the city centre and 20 mins to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital. All these buses have free wi-fi on board. Once services stop running, tickets can be used on certain Stagecoach services to the Park and Ride site.[3] The service is run by branded Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 and Alexander Dennis Enviro 400.
Little & Often routes
The Little & Often routes were launched in early January 2017 in Ashford to upgrade the existing B1 and B2 (merged into B) and the C. As part of the initiative, the limited regular buses on these routes were replaced with 30 Mercedes Sprinter City 45 minibuses to run frequently and conveniently for passengers to reduce waiting times - hence the name 'Little & Often'. The fleet of Euro 6 spec minibuses are stored at the Ashford depot and are among the first in the region to feature contactless payment. Routes E and G have since been converted to minibus operation. The main daytime frequencies of routes B and C were reduced at the same time to improve reliability. [4]
Other Main Routes
- 1: Ashford to Canterbury via Wye
- 2: Ashford to Hastings via Tenterden
- 5: Canterbury to Seasalter via Chestfield
- 7: Canterbury to Herne Bay
- 9: Canterbury to Westwood via Ramsgate
- 10: Folkestone to Ashford via Hythe
- 10X: Ashford to Maidstone via Lenham
- 11: Ashford to Lydd via Hamstreet
- 11: Canterbury to Westwood via Manston
- 12: Canterbury to Deal via A2
- 14: Canterbury to Deal via Sandwich
- 17: Canterbury to Folkestone via Elham Valley
- 18: Canterbury to Hythe
- 43: Canterbury to Sandwich (some journeys continuing to Ramsgate & Westwood).
- 80/81: Deal to Dover.
- 91: Folkestone to Dover
Other transport links
Stagecoach provide buses to many of Southeastern train stations for services across Kent and to London.
Stagecoach provide joint bus and rail tickets with the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway[5] at The Wave service meets the railway at Hythe, New Romney and Romney Sands in the Romney Sands Holiday Park. The Wave also serve Dymchurch (for sandy beach and family fun fair), St. Mary's Bay and Romney Warren, where the railway has stations a short walk away. The Wave also serves Lydd-on-Sea for the popular The Pilot Inn restaurant next to a railway crossing. Also a short walk from the Pilot Inn is Dungeness where there is another station, lighthouses, famous cottages, fishing beach, Nature Reserve and what is classified as the UK's only desert. Other routes serving stations include 10, 11, 16 & 160.
Stagecoach also serve Ashford International station for Eurostar services to Paris and Brussels as well as domestic high speed services to London.
Stagecoach serve The Port of Dover for Ferry services to France and Belgium.
Stagecoach serves Lydd Airport from Ashford (11 Ashford - Lydd), Hastings (100), Folkestone and Dover (101).
Please also note there are two route 11 operated by Stagecoach. One 11 runs from Ashford to Romney Marsh via Hamstreet whilst the other runs from Canterbury to Westwood Cross via Ramsgate.
References
- ↑ Unibus page, Stagecoach. "Unibus info".
- ↑ Unirider page, Stagecoach bus. "Unirider tickets".
- ↑ Park and Ride, Canterbury City Council. "Canterbury council info".
- ↑ "Big deal for Ashford as buses get little and often". www.stagecoachbus.com. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
- ↑ PDF, RHDR Guide. "RHDR Guide" (PDF).