Nu-Venture

Nu-Venture Coaches Ltd is an Aylesford, Kent-based bus company. Established in 1960s as a coach company, Nu-Venture once operated coach tour holidays all over Europe, and, in the 1980s, a London commuter service, but coach hire activities ceased in 2010.

On UK deregulation of local buses in 1986, local bus operation started with a joint service 58 between Maidstone, West Malling and Trottiscliffe/Ryarsh. Since the 1990s, the fleet and area of operation has expanded to allow 28 buses to serve Maidstone, Medway, Malling, Gravesham, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Daily operation of bus service 151 (Medway/Kings Hill) under contract to Kent & Medway Councils commenced in April 2008, part-replacing a previous and long-established Nu-Venture commercial operation. This and other Nu-Venture operations in Medway serve Chatham Town Centre's new Waterfront Bus Station, opened 10 October 2011 and used by all local bus operators. Previously, Nu-Venture used on-street stands, rather than entering the Arriva-controlled Pentagon bus station.

Under contract to Kent County Council, Nu-Venture operate a number of services, including much of the TRANSWEALD 295 / 297 route from Tunbridge Wells and Tenterden to Ashford during the daytime on Mondays to Fridays.

From April 2010, Nu-Venture's operation of Kent County Council services altered, routes 23, 26, 27, 66, 404 and 405 being assumed in place of operations on services 71, 81, 82, 85, 88 and 158 - the contracts for the latter two services being regained in April 2012.

From September 2010, routes operated under contract to Medway Council altered with the assumption of routes 172/173 (Chatham-Earl Estate) but loss of 179 (Chatham-Walderslade) and 172/173 have subsequently had journeys diverted (as 174/175) to serve Medway City Estate (using a newly-constructed bus-only link road); this road is also part of the 170 route, provided from August 2011 by Nu-Venture on a commercial basis to link Medway Gate with Chatham.

Two Kent/Medway contracts have been assumed in the recent past; from April 2011, services 130/131 (Maidstone/Hempstead Valley/Rainham/Twydall, with a limited service beyond to Medway Maritime Hospital), and service 150 (Maidstone/Blue Bell Hill Village/Walderslade/Lordswood) from January 2012.

Nu-Venture operate a growing number of modern accessible low-floor easy access single-deck buses, but, amongst older buses, a quantity of new-to-London 1980s Leyland Titan double-deck buses, converted from dual- to single-door specification, remain, three of which carry the current two-greens fleet livery which was introduced in 2010 to replace the earlier white/blue.

Since December 2010, the 'Ticketer' ticketing system has been in use, providing smartcard and vehicle location functions as well as the normal ticket-issuing function.

Routes
Routes operated include the following (more details and timetables at www.nu-venture.co.uk) :