A bus broke down on first day of a much-anticipated service which is intended to make journeys faster.

Passengers were stranded for half an hour thanks to an electrical fault on a vehicle belonging to Dover’s £34m Fastrack fleet, before a replacement arrived to pick them up.

However, Stagecoach, which runs the scheme, says it is pleased with how the launch on Sunday went.

When asked about the broken-down vehicle, a spokesperson said: “One of the buses did have to be swapped over on Sunday, but we were able to get a spare bus out and the service back on track within 30 minutes.

“It needed to be swapped over as a precaution after the driver reported a minor electrical issue."

A photo submitted to KentOnline shows the coach at Folkestone Road, just past the corner of York Street, at 10.55am, with its hazard lights on and cars maneuvering to get past it.

It was not the same one used for the maiden trip at 8am, which left from Dover Priory Station.

That swiftly went to its final stop in Whitfield, Cranleigh Drive, and turned back with no delays.

There were 11 return trips to the station scheduled on Sunday and some 500 passengers boarded the Fastrack buses in the first two days.

Stagecoach said: “We're pleased with how the first day went.

“There's a huge amount of work involved in getting a new bus service launched, much of which goes on 'behind the scenes'.

“It's down to the efforts and dedication of our Dover operations and engineering teams, and all the stakeholders involved, that Dover now has a rapid bus link.

“We hope that over the coming weeks, as the service settles in, more and more people will appreciate it."

The scheme is the first rapid bus system in Kent since the original launched in Dartford and Gravesham in 2006.

It is meant to serve new residents in the ever-growing village of Whitfield and provide a direct link to Dover’s railway station for the option of commuting to London.

Parts of the route exclude cars, such as a new road bridge over the A2 at Whitfield.

However, the project has been dogged by criticisms and problems.

It began a year after originally planned and, while heralded as a non-emission electric scheme, still has to run on diesel until next summer because of supply chain problems.

Meanwhile, cuts to other bus services in the area began the day Fastrack launched. For example, the number 64, going from the town centre straight to Buckland Hospital and River, has been cut from a maximum of twice an hour to once.

Parts of Whitfield have also suffered and a petition against this has now reached more than 1,400 signatures.

Passenger protests and complaints over this are continuing, led by the newly-founded pressure group, Save Our Buses, and leading local politicians have also expressed concerns.

Group co-founder Keith Sansum told KentOnline: “Whilst supportive of saving our planet, we need first to make sure we have a service throughout east Kent that is adequate.

“Although this £34 million was to get the electric bus in place, others across the area see buses being slashed, people stuck in their houses, and all the other issues around a poorly run bus service.”

Cllr Jamie Pout (Lab), Dover District Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for transport, said he is still frustrated at the wider cuts to bus services in the district.

He added: “This leads to great uncertainty and neglects the human impact of these changes on those that rely on public transport.”

“If we want buses to be a realistic choice, they must be reliable, affordable and convenient, not cut year after year.”

Dover’s Labour MP Mike Tapp said: “I want to be clear: these cuts are unacceptable, and I am committed to pushing for a fairer deal that prioritises the needs of our residents.

“In my recent meeting with Stagecoach representatives, I pressed for practical solutions to these issues. I urged them to consider all possible adjustments to avoid cuts, especially during peak times.”

Stagecoach had argued the cuts reflect passenger numbers.