Community

Fastrack Bus Service Updates

The Fastrack service belongs to the communities it serves, and the services provided must be directly influenced by them. This is distinct from just service users, in that we also have a strong focus on non-users who live and work closely to the network in informing our service plans, including local businesses.

Through regular, open and transparent engagement with communities, KCC aims to both match the schedules to changing travel patterns and constantly seek to improve the service and innovate based upon your input.

Route A – Route A services will be diverting into the Amazon site between The Bridge and Greenhithe Station, which will add a few minutes to journeys. By serving Amazon using Route A throughout the day, this will remove the need for AZ services other than at shift changeover times. This will reduce the number of vehicle journeys through The Bridge as AZ vehicles which currently have small levels of demand at off peak periods will be removed, with the low numbers of passengers for Amazon at these times using Route A. As a result of serving Amazon, Route A services will operate 24 hours a day like the current AZ service, stopping at all stops throughout The Bridge. The service will be changing to become 5 buses an hour throughout the day using the same number of vehicles as before. This is to improve service reliability, with services having longer at the terminal points between journeys to improve on-time running at the service start. The A service will be served by the current single deck vehicles, and from 2023 these will be replaced by a fleet of electric high capacity single deck vehicles.

Route AZ – As above, Route AZ will be removed except for journeys around shift changeover times. AZ journeys will operate between Dartford and Amazon, and between Amazon and Gravesend. KCC has undertaken detailed modelling work of vehicle capacities and existing demand from Amazon in order to ensure sufficient capacity is in place on the AZ at shift changeover times to minimise the impact on Route A. Additional AZ journeys will be added in line with increases in demand such in in the run up to Christmas. AZ journeys will stop at all stops between Amazon and Dartford, which will add additional journeys between The Bridge and Dartford in the morning and evening peaks for residents of The Bridge.

Fastrack has a new electric bus fleet and new passenger real time information displays. 

Fastrack Network will be going zero emission, with the new fleet of high-capacity single deck vehicles. The new electric fleet will be fully accessible and will be at least 8dbs quieter than the current buses.

New information screens will be interactive and provide more detail including current performance levels and live reasons for service disruption. This will help to ensure passengers are informed about delays as and when they happen and will help prevent situations where buses do not turn up without warning. The first of these have now been installed in Gravesend as part of the Gravesend Bus Hub project, with a further rollout across the network expected within the next 12 to 18 months. Priority sites include Dartford Home Gardens, Greenhithe Station and Bluewater Shopping Centre.

New timetable from April 2025

KCC is committed to the service offering the best value possible.  Looking to the future, we will continue to fine tune the ticketing platform and fares on offer for all of Fastrack, and we are open to further engagement.

What is going to be done to improve the existing service performance?

KCC understand the importance of improving the reliability and quality of Fastrack for residents. We recognise that the reliability of the service has not been where it should have been, particularly at peak times.  Monitoring of the service, including regular Fastrack specific performance meetings between the operator and the KCC Fastrack Team to drive improvements.

For our new service contracts for both route A and our current Route B, KCC will put a greater emphasis on quality and reliability. Tougher sanctions will be put in place for failures by both the bus operator but also those that supply the related infrastructure such as bus shelters and real time information displays. There will also be a greater focus on our role as both the service owner and the Highways Authority responsible for the roads.

Why can I not use the Fastrack busways with my car at The Bridge?

We understand that congestion locally is a significant issue and relates directly to the overflow of traffic from the M25 and Dartford Crossing which are managed by National Highways. While the Fastrack service has dedicated priority infrastructure, it also suffers from congestion which hinders service reliability and extends journey times.

National Highways alongside KCC Highways are working hard to address the core issues, with the Lower Thames Crossing for example just one project seeking to ease said congestion. This will be to the benefit of residents as well as the Fastrack network.

Fastrack is a Bus Rapid Transit service which forms a hybrid between bus and light rail, using segregated bus only roadways but with the flexibility to use conventional roads as well. This allows the service to deliver many of the benefits of light rail at a much lower cost.

This is the case for Fastrack which was constructed by design to provide a fast and unimpeded alternative to the car for local residents to help offset the local traffic constraints. Consequently, Fastrack is part of the cure locally, with the service accounting for 3 million passenger journeys a year. Journey times are critical to the future viability of the service. Without Fastrack, traffic conditions would only get worse locally, with or without residents being able to utilise the lanes.

GENERAL TRAVEL INFORMATION

www.bustimes.org
www.kent-fastrack.co.uk
or call Fastrack (part of Go-Ahead) on 01322 941020

USEFUL INFORMATION

Fastrack (Part of Go-Ahead)
Unit 1 Newton’s Court Dartford, Kent DA2 6QL
www.kent-fastrack.co.uk
www.go-ahead.com

Fastrack – Public Transport
Kent County Council
PO Box 441
ME6 9HJ

www.kent.gov.uk
fastrack.electric@kent.gov.uk

Our Latest Addition to the Sculpture Trail

The piece named ‘Transition’ was originally commissioned by National Power and South East Arts as a representation about the energy of change and the productive tension of the new.

Oliver Barratt, the artist who originally designed the piece, is in the process of restoring this magnificent work of art back to its former glory.

Two public EV charging points at The Bridge

As part of our commitment to sustainability and a greener future, we have two EV charging points available at The Bridge for public use. Provided by Shell NewMotion, they have over 150,000 public charge points across the UK and Europe.