 A Go-CoachOptare Solo inTunbridge Wells Town Centre in November 2013 | |
| Founded | 1 February 2008 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Swanley |
| Service area | Kent East Sussex South London |
| Service type | Bus services |
| Routes | 40[1] |
| Hubs | Sevenoaks,Swanley,Dartford,Edenbridge,Tonbridge,Tunbridge Wells |
| Fleet | 49 (August 2025) |
| Chief executive | Austin Blackburn |
| Website | www.go-coach.co.uk |
Go-Coachhire Limited,[2]trading asGo-Coach andGo Bus, is a bus operator running a total of 40 bus services (including school services) acrossKent andSussex. The majority of these services are operated on behalf ofKent County Council from their depot inSwanley.
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Go-Coach was founded on 1 February 2008 by Austin Blackburn. The company began operating as a coach hire company initially just using a single coach.[3]
In April 2010, Go-Coach began operating bus services for the first time when they took over theKent County Council tendered routes 401 (Sevenoaks toWesterham) and 421 (Sevenoaks toSwanley) fromArriva Southern Counties.[3] In May 2011, Go Coach extended route 421 toDartford to replace the Arriva Southern Counties route 423 bringing the operator into the town for the first time.[4] The companies Dartford services were further boosted with the instruction of theDart local town services in 2014.[5]
In April 2014, Go-Coach expanded its operations intoEdenbridge by taking over routes 232, 234, 238, 631 and 632 from Arriva Southern Counties.[6] A number of its Sevenoaks services were altered at the same time.
In 2015, a number of Go-Coach services were boosted. The company took over a number ofKent County Council contracted services as well as introducing new circular town service 8 in Sevenoaks at the same time.[7] Go-Coach also upgraded and took over existing route 401 on a commercial basis in 2015, this being the first time that the company had operated a bus service in this way.[8]
In July 2017, Go-Coach introduced two new routes in Sevenoaks (routes 431 and 435) in response to Arriva Southern Counties withdrawing major parts of their route 402 service at the same time.[9]
In April 2019, Arriva Southern Counties withdrew a number of their local services in Sevenoaks.[10] Go Coach introduced a number of replacement services and at the same time became the network operator of the town.
In December 2020, Go-Coach launched the new E1 circular bus service inEdenbridge giving the town a dedicated local service for the first time.[11]
On 23 August 2021, Go-Coach introduced the 24-hourFastrack branded AZ service between Dartford andGravesend, serving the newAmazon LCY3 distribution centre in Dartford.[12][13] On 2 April 2022, this service was transferred toArriva Kent Thameside in April 2022 with the Amazon LCY3 also now served by the currentFastrack A service.[14]
In December 2023, the company was sold to Derbyshire-basedHulleys of Baslow, but retained the Go-Coach branding, fleet and staff.[15] Within a year however, Hulleys sold the operation back to previous owner and founder Austin Blackburn.[16]
Go-Coach run services from a single depotSwanley which runs a mixture of commercial and school services as well as services operated on behalf ofKent County Council with a total of 40 routes. Go Coach operate a number of rural services across Kent and as such, a number of their services operate at very low frequencies with limited operating hours.[1] Go Coach are also the main bus operator in the town of Sevenoaks (sinceArriva Southern Counties withdrew a number of their Sevenoaks routes in April 2019[10]) and currently run and operate Sevenoaks bus station.[9][17]
Go-Coach currently operate the following services (excluding school services):[1]
| Route | Start | End | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sevenoaks | Westerham | Monday-Saturday |
| 2 | Sevenoaks | Swanley | Monday-Saturday |
| 3 | Sevenoaks | Locksbottom | Monday-Friday |
| 5 | Sevenoaks | Tonbridge | Monday-Saturday |
| 6 | Sevenoaks | Kemsing | Monday-Saturday |
| 8 | Sevenoaks | circular service | Monday-Saturday |
| 208 | Pembury | East Peckham | Monday-Saturday |
| 280 | Tunbridge Wells | Molyneux Park | Monday-Saturday |
| 283 | Tunbridge Wells | Ravenswood Avenue | Monday-Saturday |
| 289 | Southborough | Ramslye | Monday-Friday |
| 401 | Westerham | Tonbridge | Sunday only |
| 429 | Dartford | West Kingsdown | Monday-Saturday |
| 477 | Dartford | Swanley | Monday-Saturday |
| GC1 | Greenhithe | Ebbsfleet | Monday-Saturday |
The fleet consists ofOptare Solo,Optare Solo SR,Switch Metrocity (formerly known as theOptare Metrocity),Optare Versa,Optare Tempo,Mellor Sigma 10,Mellor Sigma 7,ADL Enviro200 MMC,ADL Enviro400,Ford Tourneo,Fiat Ducato, and shortly, theRB6.[18]
Since April 2020, Go-Coach have operated the Go2 demand responsive service inSevenoaks in partnership withViaVan. The service is designed to allow passengers to hail buses to their locations to remove the need for unnecessary bus operations.[19]
The Go2 demand responsive service was introduced in April 2020 when Go-Coach suspended all of its fixed line bus services in Sevenoaks and Edenbridge due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[20]
The service initially ran Monday-Saturday only and covered the majority of theSevenoaks District as well as extending north toOrpington and south toTonbridge. It also served a number of hospitals outside of the main operating area includingTunbridge Wells Hospital inPembury,Queen Mary's Hospital inSidcup andPrincess Royal Hospital inLocksbottom.[21]
In August 2020, Go-Coach reinstated a number of their fixed line bus services in Sevenoaks and Go2 continued to operate alongside these services. At the same time, the service was removed from Orpington and Tonbridge as well as the hospitals outside the main operating area.[1][22]
In January 2021, Go-Coach again suspended a number of its Sevenoaks services due to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced them with Go2.[23]
In April 2021, the Go2 service area was expanded to serveWest Kingsdown, East Hill, Fairseat andStansted.
A limited Sunday service was also introduced on the service covering Sevenoaks, Swanley and West Kingsdown.[24]
At the same time, a number of Go-Coach fixed line bus services in Sevenoaks were reintroduced and Go2 again operates alongside these.[23]
In January 2023, a number of major changes were made to Go2 in response to a reduction in funding fromKent County Council. The service was scaled back to operate on weekdays and Saturdays from 06:00-19:00 only, with the Sunday service being withdrawn. In addition, the operating area was reduced, no longer servingSwanley,Edenbridge orWest Kingsdown.[25]
As of January 2023, the key areas served by the Go2 service include:Sevenoaks Town Centre,Sevenoaks Weald,Ide Hill,Westerham,Sundridge,Brasted,Chipstead,Dunton Green,Knockholt,Halstead,Shoreham,Otford,Godden Green,Seal andKemsing.[25]
Go2 has been operating in Ebbsfleet since 3rd February 2025.[26]
As of August 2025, Go2 servesEbbsfleet Green and Castle Hill;Ebbsfleet International,Swanscombe,Greenhithe,Bluewater,Darent Valley Hospital,Stone Crossing andSpringhead.
Majority of the areas covered are also run by the GC1 bus service.
It will be run by RB6's[27] which are produced byWrightbus, under sub-brand Rightech, and will be used by Go2 and the GC1 by June 2025. It is currently run byMellor Sigma 7s,Optare Solos (nowSwitch Solo) and theFord Tourneo andFiat Ducato[citation needed]
Media related toGo Coach Hire at Wikimedia Commons
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