The 506 Park and Ride service is to finish in the New Year.

The last bus from the Sittingbourne Road Park and Ride site will be on Saturday, February 6.

The borough council has been unable to reach a deal with Gallagher Properties, the owners of the site, for a renewal of its lease which expires on Monday, February 8.

The council’s parking services co-ordinator Matt Cotton said: “We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused by the closure. However, the cost to renew the lease to occupy the site at Eclipse Park was significantly higher than the council could afford.”

The 506 service will operate as normal until the end of the day on the Saturday.

Video: End of the road for the park and ride?

Season tickets will be valid for use on the two remaining Park and Ride services which operate from Willington Street (off M20 Junction 8) and London Road (off M20 Junction 5).

The nearest long-stay parking is Sittingbourne Road Pay and Display car park, and is located directly opposite the Queen Anne pub, and adjacent to East Borough Primary School.

The closure comes as a double blow to Park and Ride users. Those commuters from the south of the town who had been looking forward to the creation of a new Park and Ride at Linton Crossroads have now learnt that the council is also looking at dropping the scheme.