Public Transport
Ashford already benefits from
a strong network of public transport services, including buses,
trains and walking and cycle paths.
To accommodate and limit the growth in traffic
as the town grows significant improvements to public transport
provision will be required.
By maximising the use of public transport,
people will have a genuine choice of travel options in and around
Ashford and this will reduce the need for a more expensive and
environmentally damaging road building programme.
Buses
There are three key areas proposed to
improve bus travel in Ashford:
- The existing bus services will be improved and extended to
serve new development areas.
- Three new Park and Ride schemes on
the edge of town will provide express services to the town centre,
Stations and Designer Outlet Shopping Village.
- A new fast and high frequency SmartLink bus service will be phased in
to serve the key housing and employment areas from 2012.
Trains
There are three proposals to improve travel by train in
Ashford:
- New domestic services via High Speed 1 will
be introduced in 2009, reducing journey times into London
to 37 minutes. Special preview services were introduced at the
end of June.
- Improving access and facilities at the station forecourt
and between the station and the town centre, increasing
integration between buses, trains, walking and cycling.
- Further improvements to the Marshlink line, building on the new
direct services to Brighton, and examining the potential for a
new station serving Park Farm and development to the south of the
town.
Find out more
To find out more about domestic services to
and from Ashford visit Southeastern
Trains. For information about international services visit
Eurostar.