Bus passengers can enjoy features including free on-board Wi-Fi thanks to an investment worth more than £2 million.

Arriva has purchased 11 new vehicles as part of its ongoing replacement programme.

The work cost £2.84 million and will affect the 480 and 490 services that link Dartford and Bluewater with, Greenhithe, Northfleet, Chalk and Gravesend.

As well as the Wi-Fi, the smart blue ‘Sapphire’ brand buses, which will be running from October 12, will have fake leather seats and audio-visual announcements of each bus stop.

Those passionate about the environment will also be pleased to hear that the buses have been built with a carbon footprint in mind.

The fleet is one of the first in the country to feature new micro-hybrid technology that harvests waste energy built up from braking and uses it to replenish the buses’ batteries.

This allows other parts of the bus to be run electrically, reducing the load on the engine and resulting in less exhaust emissions.