With Petition
Two major National Express coach routes linking East Kent with London are set to be scrapped next month, putting up to 20 jobs in jeopardy and threatening a local depot with closure.
From December 7, the 007 service—which connects Dover, Folkestone, and Canterbury with the capital—and the 022 route serving Ramsgate, Margate, Canterbury, and London will cease operating. Passengers holding advance bookings for dates after December 7 will be contacted regarding the cancellations and offered refunds where applicable.
The withdrawals carry severe consequences for local transport workers, who were informed of the cuts last week. While National Express operates the routes, the coaches and drivers are managed by partner company Coach Travel Group (CTG) from a depot on Pike Road in Eythorne, near Dover.
Because the route cancellations heavily disrupt operations at the site, CTG has proposed shutting the Eythorne facility down entirely. In an official statement, CTG confirmed that staff assigned to the affected services have been placed at risk of redundancy, adding that its immediate priority is guiding employees through a formal consultation while other operations continue unaffected. Although CTG declined to specify exact numbers, an anonymous worker reported that up to 20 people face losing their jobs. Describing the news as “very scary” and disappointing, the employee noted that staff were given just three weeks to find alternative employment ahead of Christmas, prompting them to apply for 15 to 20 jobs immediately.
National Express attributed the cuts to falling passenger demand and rising expenses—specifically “escalating fuel prices” due to the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine—which have left the routes commercially unviable. Unlike local buses or rail operators, the company says it receives no public subsidies and relies solely on ticket revenue. Neil Collins, director of coach network planning at National Express, stated that the network is continually reviewed to balance customer demand with affordable fares, acknowledging that the end of these services will disappoint local communities. The announcement comes just one week after National Express’s parent company, Mobico, agreed to a £308 million takeover by Spanish operator Autobuses de Leon.
Local politicians have condemned the timing and economic impact of the decision, calling on operators and transport authorities to intervene:
Canterbury City Council: A group of 14 councillors sent a joint letter to National Express and CTG leadership urging them to reconsider and explore alternative links connecting Canterbury, Thanet, and Dover with London. Cllr Paul Prentice, cabinet member for transport and planning, called the loss of the decades-old routes a “devastating blow” to local economies, emphasising that Canterbury’s large student population and lower-income residents rely heavily on affordable coaches to travel and visit family.
Dover District Council: Conservative councillor Dan Friend warned that cutting the routes just before Christmas leaves East Kent residents with fewer options and higher travel costs, urging Kent County Council and the government to work urgently with operators to find a replacement.
The end of the 007 service also closes a chapter of local folklore. The route has long been linked to James Bond creator Ian Fleming, who lived near London’s Victoria Coach Station and owned a holiday home in St Margaret’s Bay near Dover. Local legend held that his regular trips on an early 007 coach inspired his famous spy’s codename. While historians generally trace the 007 moniker to wartime naval intelligence, National Express had happily leaned into the 007 branding as a tribute to the fictional agent.
The Petition
National Express has announced it is axing its 007 and 022 coach routes connecting Kent and London on Monday, 7 December 2026. This follows the company having been taken over by a Spanish operator Autobuses de Leon.
The Route 007 service links Dover, Folkestone, and Canterbury with London Victoria Coach Station.
The Route 022 service connects Ramsgate, Margate, Whitstable, and Canterbury with London.
Up to 20 drivers and staff based at the Eythorne depot near Dover are also now facing redundancy ahead of Christmas with potential closure of the Eythorne site.
Local councillors in Canterbury, Whitstable and Thanet have criticised the decision, warning that axing these routes removes an affordable transport lifeline for university students, commuters, and residents without cars.
Many older residents and others with mobility issues say that alternative train travel will not only be prohibitively expensive but difficult, if not impossible to manage, with long station platforms and stairs to negotiate.
The 007 route was famously used by James Bond author, Ian Fleming, and is said to have inspired Bond’s unforgettable codename.
If you believe this decision MUST be reconsidered by the company please sign and share this petition.
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