go-coach celebrates becoming the main bus service operator in the Sevenoaks area

BUS passengers in the Sevenoaks area will be seeing a lot more go-coach vehicles on their local routes in the future. This is because all services in and around the town are now operated by the independent local transport company with the exception of Arriva 306/8 service to Gravesend and the 402 service to Tunbridge Wells.

ON ROUTE: Passengers will be seeing more go-coach buses around Sevenoaks.

Arriva Southern Counties recently announced that it was withdrawing Sevenoaks town services routes 1 and 2 on the 8 April. go-coach stepped in making it the major network operator for the Sevenoaks area.

Arriva route 1 to Kemsing is now go-coach route 6, and the route 2 is partly replaced by routes 401, 431, 435 and route 6 on a Saturday. A new network map has been posted around the town and there is a timetable booklet detailing all the routes and fares. New simple fare zones have also been introduced to make it easier for the public and the drivers to understand.

Austin Blackburn, Managing Director of go-coach, said: “I am so very proud of the hard work that all my staff have put in to making us the main operator in the area. We are almost unique in that we are an independent bus company that is the network operator of a town just outside London.”

TICKET TO RIDE: Passengers join in the celebrations aboard a go-coach bus

At the launch of the new services go-coach staff were at the Sevenoaks Bus Station handing out drinks, cup cakes and any help the public needed. “It has been amazing how positive the passengers are to us operating these routes,” said Austin.

This month, go-coach also won a KCC tender for three buses on routes 208/9 previously operated by Autocar. This strengthens its presence around Tonbridge and complements a growing commercial network in Tunbridge Wells.