Library image Photo: Susan Scott – Scopix
Kent County Council (KCC) has stepped in to rescue several Ashford bus services facing cancellation by Stagecoach in March.
Using government bus grant funding, KCC will finance contracts to keep the 2/2A (Ashford-Tenterden), 10 (Folkestone-Ashford), 14 (Ashford-Wye), and select G-Line and 666 journeys running for at least a year. Service renumbering and other changes will occur, but KCC’s intervention ensures continued bus access for residents.
While KCC recently received £22 million in funding for 2025/26, rising costs and declining ridership strain the council’s ability to maintain Kent’s bus network. Highways and Transport Cabinet Member Neil Baker welcomed the Ashford rescue but emphasized the need for a long-term government funding plan to secure the future of Kent’s buses.