Stagecoach in East Kent

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 lots of new buses in the past couple of years to approve with the step free access law on buses which comes into place in January 2017.

Routes and frequencies

Depots

• Ashford;

1, 1A, 1X, 2, 2A, 10, 10A, 10X, 11, 11A, 11B, 123, 666, A, B1, B2, C, E, G, H and K.

• Dover;

12, 13, 13A, 14, 15, 15A, 15B, 60, 60A, 61, 62, 63, 68, 82, 87, 88, 89 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, 3B, 3X, 4, 5, 7, 21, 22, 23, 23A, 25, 25A, 26, 26A, 36, Triangle, Unibus and NiteUnibus.

• Westwood (Thanet);

8, 8A, 9, 11, 32, 33, 34, 34X, 38, 39, 40, 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 mmc 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 and Westwood Cross to Broadstairs and 8A from Margate via Cliftonville and Northdown park to Broadstairs. The route is operated with Scania mmc double-deckers.

The Diamond

The Diamond are a Diamond shape circular route forming route 13, 13A and 15, 15A & 15B. The route runs from Canterbury to Dover to Deal to Sandwich and back to Canterbury. The service runs every 15 minutes between Canterbury and Dover via the A2 and Lydden (15, 15A & 15B), with 15B also serving River, Kent. The network continues round to Deal every 30 mins via Walmer (15, 15A) with 15 serving Dover Castle and 15A serving the Port of Dover. At Deal the hourly 15A continues to Sandown. Also at Deal the 15's meet the 13's with the half-hourly service to Canterbury via Sandwich and Wingham. Between Sandwich and Wingham, route 13 runs direct along the Sandwich By-pass, while also serving Sandwich Village Centre, whereas route 13A serves St Bart's Road and Woodnesborough. The service is run by branded Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 and Alexander Dennis Enviro 300.

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.

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 N230UD/ Alexander Dennis Enviro 400.

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, 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 1am - 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.

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
• 36: Herne Bay to QEQM Hospital via Margate
• 87, 88: Ramsgate to Dover
• 89: Canterbury 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^[4] 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

External links

• Stagecoach East Kent website