The zero emmissions bus service scheme will connect Whitfield with Dover town centre and Dover Priory railway station.

Construction of the rapid bus service includes a new bus, cycle and pedestrian-only bridge across the A2 at Whitfield and a new link road from the B&Q roundabout in Whitfield to Dover Road at Guston.

The junction with Dover Road will be for buses, bicycles and pedestrians only. Altogether the project is expected to take around 18 months.

With the project’s strong focus on carbon reduction, Colas will plant over 10,000 new trees, shrubs and hedgerow trees and provide enhanced wildlife habitat in the area.

The scheme is backed by central government with £23m from a funding programme designed to help stimulate new housing development. Dover District Council was awarded the grant by Homes England and is working in partnership with KCC as the highways authority.

Kent County Council is managing delivery of the project on behalf of Dover District Council (DDC), with the two councils working together to meet a shared ambition to see the district and county become carbon neutral by 2050

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Leader of Dover District Council, said: “Dover Fastrack represents the biggest investment in public transport in Dover for many years and is key to the delivery of new housing at Whitfield and the former Connaught Barracks site, and our ambitions to cut carbon emissions.”