National Express to cut all coaches between London, Lewisham and Eltham to Kent
National Express have announced two coach service between London and Kent will no longer run.
Route 007 between Victoria coach station in central London and Dover and the 022 to Ramsgate will cease on 7th December. Each route sees up to five journeys in each direction per day.
The Dover route calls at Elephant & Castle, Lewisham and Eltham before heading to the coast.
The 022 also called at south east London stops after departing Victoria before heading towards Ramsgate via Whitstable, Canterbury and coastal towns.
National Express have blamed high diesel costs as well as declining passenger numbers.
The company have discussed potential subsidy with Kent County Council though KCC have refused.
National Express stated: “However, given its focus to prioritise resources on socially-necessary local bus services, public funding is regrettably unavailable to subsidise scheduled coach services”.
The company will contact anyone who has booked a journey after the cessation of services to arrange a refund.
Comment
I have to confess I didn’t even know these services were running – and certainly not so many times each day. I had a vague idea and saw them passing on occasion but not the number of journeys nor their route. Promotion doesn’t seem great though it could be a me problem.
If I had known there were a few each day at decent times I would have used it. While slower than trains the prices seem good (less than £10 tomorrow for example) though granted I’m looking at a November day. Still, surely summer times would be popular?
Timings on some routes aren’t even that bad. The timetable shows a journey from Lewisham to Whitstable takes 1:45 hours. Not too shabby.
If it does return next year I’ll give it a go. Being able to board a direct coach at Lewisham or Eltham is handy, with the Lewisham stop being located just outside the station on Loampit Vale.
