Bus operator Go Coach, working with Kent County Council, will be replacing many of its services in and around Sevenoaks (including the villages of Sevenoaks North and Darent Valley) with an on-demand service. The services involved will be the 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 8. The new service, branded as go2, will operate on a three month trial.
Go had already worked on some schemes for 'demand responsive' bus services with KCC, including plans to address the replacement for the 421 in the heart of Shoreham village. The collapse in demand for bus journeys as a result of the Covid-19 crisis has accelerated the search for new approaches and new solutions. KCC worked with Go Coach and its delivery partner ViaVan to develop the scheme and has given it some start up financial support.
go2 will cover the whole of Sevenoaks District, as well as journeys to NHS centres such as Pembury hospital. Booking will be via an app, which will also enable users to track the bus's movements to assess arrival times. The service will be available from 6am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and starts on 14 April. You can find a KCC media statement about the initiative here.
Go Coach are to be congratulated on an innovative and imaginative response to current circumstances, which can offer real benefits to Sevenoaks residents.
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