Additional reporting by KMTV’s Finn Macdiarmid

You wait a year for an electric bus - and then a diesel one turns up.

That’s the prospect facing Dover residents tomorrow when a much-delayed new service, set to cost taxpayers £34 million, finally arrives.

It has been billed as Kent’s first “zero-emission, all-electric, rapid bus transit system”.

But the promised new electric fleet will not be available until next summer - so, for now, diesel-powered ones will be used instead.

Some residents have described it as a “joke” and Kent County Council’s (KCC) transport chief Cllr Neil Baker admits it’s “not ideal”.

But bosses believe residents have waited long enough for the Dover Fastrack scheme, which will connect Whitfield with the town centre and Dover Priory railway station.

On Sunday, a year after it was initially set to launch, the service will get going at last - albeit with diesel buses, described as “ultra-low-emission”.

Cllr Baker, KCC’s cabinet member for highways and transport, told KentOnline that operator Stagecoach and its supply chain are to blame for the delays.

“It’s really down to how long it takes them to get hold of the electric buses,” he explained.

“They have got them on order and they are due to arrive in summer next year. It's outside of KCC's control.”

“But the decision had to be made - do we let this infrastructure just sit empty with no buses, or do we use diesel buses in the meantime?

“It's not ideal, but having people on buses is better than people using cars.

“Those diesel buses do have the most modern of engines so as a compromise, while there are problems getting the electric buses on route, I think it’s a good way to go.“

This week, we asked residents in Dover for their views on the scheme.

Bob Parsons, 79, said: “It's supposed to have been electric, but it isn't. Maybe one day it will be.

“It was also supposed to open in 2023, and now we're in the autumn of 2024.”

Gill Grant said: “It's a lot of money. How long will it last and will it work?

“I don't think it will, personally. I think £34 million is absolutely disgraceful.”

In order to ensure “rapid” journey times, the scheme required a new bridge to be built over the A2.

Wendy Smith said: “We've been watching it being built for a very long time, which has disrupted the local roads.

“I just want to know, who is actually going to use it?

“All this money and the service will be no use unless it’s used.

“We'll be curious, and we might try it out out of curiosity, but there wouldn't be any other reason.”

KCC is delivering the project, which has been partly funded by a £22.9 million grant from Homes England, in partnership with Dover District Council (DDC) which is contributing £1.42 million. A further £9.5 million is from the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme.

The service will use existing and new roads, as well as dedicated busways which will see buses have priority over other traffic on the route.

Last month, KCC started construction of a northbound bus contraflow in Pencester Road, Dover, as part of the project. Bosses aim to have it complete by next spring.

More than 800 people have signed a petition describing plans for the contraflow as "madness".

DDC says an “enhanced bus service” is required to meet the demand from up to 6,000 new homes that could be built at Whitfield.

But the decision to launch Fastrack without electric buses has been derided on social media.

Derek Young wrote: “Is this a joke? Eco-friendly route with diesel buses.”

Ray Hoddinott said: “No electric buses. Using diesel ones, wow that's helping the zero emissions.”

While Ron Eddy added: “So it won't be 'zero emission', at least to start with? Ok.

“On the plus side, at least they are promoting public transport.”

Joel Mitchell, managing director for Stagecoach South East said “We have a really good relationship with KCC.

“They are good people and just like our team we’re all trying to do our best for the community, often in very difficult economic circumstances.

"The delay to the order of the electric buses is directly as a result of a delay to the contract being signed. Dover Fastrack is a partnership between us, KCC and DDC and we have worked together to overcome a variety of challenges to go-live.

"We’re pleased that we’ve been able to use ultra-low emission buses on the route so we can get people moving, while the new electric buses and electric upgrade to our Dover depot are being delivered.”