Kent County Council has recently received the first batch of our new Irizar IE trams which will become the centrepiece of the upcoming fully electric Fastrack Network as they will soon be used to replace the aging diesel vehicles which are currently in operation across our Thameside network. The introduction of these buses contributes to Kent’s wider net-zero vision by completely removing emissions and removing an estimate of 1300 tonnes of C02 from the atmosphere each year. Kent County Council is committed to the protection of our natural world and the use of these vehicles is jut one step the Fastrack Team has made to contribute towards this. The new vehicles will also contribute to Kent’s vision to increase air quality in our urban areas such as Gravesend and Dartford.
The arrival of the electric buses marks the first of a fleet of 28 expected to be delivered over the course of the next few weeks. These will be coupled with the delivery of 5 further buses which for the Dover Fastrack Network will form the new electric Fastrack fleet.
In addition to the arrival of these vehicles, construction will soon commence on the charging infrastructure which will be used to support the operation of the electric fleet. This project will allow for charging infrastructure to be installed at the Gravesend bus hub, Dartford Acacia Hall, and Dover Priory Station for the Dover services. These will also be supported by the instillation of chargers at relevant depots for both the Thameside and Dover Networks.
The buses will be operated by our partners at Go-Ahead who have recently signed a 15 year contract which will take affect this November. The introduction of the new operator and the new electric fleet will provide Kent residnets with a reliable and eco-friendly service designed to travel to key areas in both the Thameside and Dover areas.
For more information on Fastrack’s electrification programme, please visit the KCC website using the below link
Kent Thameside Fastrack is going electric – News & Features – Kent County Council
