Dartford is set to receive an extended bus route in the new year to ensure local rural villages are “not left without public transport”.

Go Coach will extend its bus route to Fleet Estate and Coombfield Drive on January 2.

Dartford Council leader Jeremy Kite championed the service, Connect 1, which first launched in February 2023, in collaboration with Kent County Council to provide public transport to local rural villages.

A spokesperson for the Council said: “Using smaller buses to access trickier locations, it will now be expanding its reach to Fleet Estate and Coombfield Drive.

“With significant populations of elderly people, lacking buses has left them isolated but with the new service, getting out and about shall be made easier.”

An alteration in the route will mean bus C1 will now no longer serve Whitehill Road and Highcross Road and instead cover Green Street Green Road and Sandbanks Hill.

The new routes also include the Fleet Estate via Princes Avenue and Lunedale Road, and Coombfield Drive between Ladywood Drive and Hill View.

You can find the full timetable at https://www.go-coach.co.uk/bus-routes/.