Stagecoach announces new bus link for Swale

A new and improved bus route linking key areas in Kent is set to launch next month.

Stagecoach South East has announced that a new service will operate between Canterbury, Faversham, Sittingbourne, and Maidstone from Monday 2nd August.

The bus operator is to extend its existing Canterbury – Sittingbourne service to allow passengers in Canterbury and Swale to travel as far as Maidstone.

The new routes will be numbered X3 and X4, with buses running every half hour offering journey times of just 30 minutes between Sittingbourne and Maidstone and around one hour between Faversham and Maidstone.

With no direct trains running from Sittingbourne or Faversham to Maidstone, the new route offers a speedy alternative for travel between the towns.

The X4 route will serve Ospringe whilst X3 will operate via Bysing Wood.

As well as expanding the service to Maidstone, Stagecoach will adjust existing timetables to improve the frequency of buses between Sittingbourne and Faversham.

The company’s Commercial Director, Matthew Arnold, said: “The new service will provide a quick and direct bus link between the Swale towns and Maidstone whilst also serving Ospringe.

“We've listened to feedback from people in the area and we're really excited to be able to offer this service, reinstating links that were previously provided by a different bus operator."

Stagecoach has confirmed that a return fare between Sittingbourne and Maidstone will cost £5.10.

Customers will be able to purchase mobile tickets on the Stagecoach Bus App for unlimited travel around a new Swale and Maidstone travel zone.

To celebrate the launch, Stagecoach will be handing out free doughnuts and coffee during a tour of Faversham, Sittingbourne, and Maidstone from Saturday 31st July.

Further information, including timetables and ticket prices, can be found on the Stagecoach website at www.stagecoachbus.com/routesX3X4.