Corporate Housing in Kent

Learn about the top employers in Kent and their contributions to the local economy. This section highlights key businesses and organisations that play a significant role in the community and shape the city's vibrant economic landscape.

Kent County Council
The unitary local authority responsible for education, social care, highways, waste, libraries and other public services across much of the county; it is one of Kent’s largest employers, with substantial staff working in schools, social services, transport and corporate functions.

NHS trusts in Kent (e.g., East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust)
The NHS organisations that provide acute, community and mental-health services across Kent and Medway; collectively they are a major public‑sector employer delivering hospital care, community nursing, mental‑health services and related support roles.

Bluewater Shopping Centre
A large regional retail and leisure destination near Dartford housing hundreds of shops, restaurants, leisure facilities and offices; Bluewater is a significant private‑sector employer in the county’s retail and hospitality sectors.

Discovery Park (Sandwich) — including the former Pfizer site
A major life‑sciences and business park in east Kent that grew out of Pfizer’s former research campus; it now hosts a mix of pharmaceutical, biotech, technology and professional‑services firms and remains an important source of skilled jobs locally.

University of Kent
A public research university based in Canterbury (with additional campuses), employing academic, research and professional staff across teaching, research and campus services and acting as a key regional employer and economic contributor.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Kent, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- National Rail (Southeastern & Thameslink services) - Extensive commuter and regional rail linking Kent towns (Dover, Folkestone, Canterbury, Ashford, Maidstone, Medway towns, Tunbridge Wells, Thanet) with London termini (St Pancras, Victoria, Charing Cross, Cannon Street, London Bridge and others) and with frequent local inter-town services.
- High Speed (HS1 / Southeastern Javelin services) - Domestic high-speed trains on HS1 between Ashford International / Ebbsfleet and London St Pancras, cutting journey times for commuters and long-distance travellers.
- Eurostar & Eurotunnel (international links) - International rail and vehicle links via Ebbsfleet International (Eurostar stops) and Eurotunnel Le Shuttle from Folkestone for vehicles; Ashford International retains international-capable facilities and regular rail connections to Eurostar hubs.
- Ferry services (Port of Dover & other ports) - Cross-Channel ferries from Dover (regular services to Calais and Dunkirk) and vehicle/passenger ferry provision from other Kent ports; important for both passenger travel and freight.
- Local and regional buses - A network of local bus operators (including Arriva, Stagecoach and smaller local operators) serving towns and rural areas; frequent urban services in Medway, Maidstone, Canterbury and Thanet and inter-urban routes linking to rail hubs.
- Fastrack Bus Rapid Transit (Dartford / Gravesend / Ebbsfleet / Bluewater) - High-frequency, partly segregated bus rapid transit connecting key employment, retail and rail hubs in north-west Kent (Dartford, Gravesend, Ebbsfleet and Bluewater).
- Park & Ride and town-based shuttle services - Park-and-ride sites in several towns (for example Canterbury and Maidstone) and shuttle services that reduce town-centre congestion and link to mainline stations.
- Local taxi, private-hire and community transport - Licensed taxis and app-based private-hire services throughout Kent plus community transport schemes for rural and vulnerable users.

Major Highways
- M20 - Primary motorway link between London and Folkestone/Ashford; principal route to the Channel Tunnel and Dover area.
- M2 - East–west motorway serving Medway, sitting between London and the east Kent coast (serves Rochester, Canterbury area indirectly).
- M25 - London orbital motorway that clips north-west Kent and provides the main route around London, including access to the Dartford Crossing.
- M26 - Short connector linking the M25 to the M20, useful for traffic between the orbital and Channel routes.
- A2 - Historic London–Dover trunk road running through north Kent (Dartford, Rochester, Canterbury) and used as a major alternative to the M2/M20 for some journeys.
- A20 - Parallel to the M20; important for local traffic and access to Ashford and Dover approaches.
- A21 - Key route linking London with Hastings via Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells, important for western Kent access.
- A299 / A256 (Thanet Way and east Kent routes) - Principal trunk roads serving the Isle of Thanet and east Kent coast, linking Ramsgate, Margate and Broadstairs to the rest of Kent and the motorway network.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Cycle network and lanes - Kent offers a mix of on-road cycle lanes and segregated / traffic-free paths, supported by National Cycle Network routes (including parts of NCN 1 and NCN 2), local signed routes (e.g., the Viking Coastal Trail in Thanet), town cycleway schemes (Canterbury, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells and Medway), and growing investment in safe links to rail stations and park-and-ride sites.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- Lower Thames Crossing - Major proposed new road crossing east of the existing Dartford Crossing designed to relieve congestion on the M25/Dartford Crossing corridor and improve cross-river connectivity; progressed through planning with phased construction intended in the 2020s.
- Dover Western Docks Revival & port access upgrades - Large-scale port and road access improvement works at Dover to increase capacity and streamline freight/passenger flows between the port and the national road network.
- Rail station and service upgrades (Ebbsfleet, Ashford, accessibility works) - Investments in station accessibility under national schemes, capacity improvements at key stations (Ebbsfleet and Ashford), and ongoing timetable/rolling-stock upgrades to improve frequency, reliability and journey times.
- Smart motorway and junction improvements (M20 / M2 / A2 corridors) - Road capacity and safety schemes, including targeted junction improvements and smart motorway technology on some corridors to manage peak flows and reduce congestion.
- Fastrack and bus priority expansions - Extensions and improvements to Fastrack and other bus priority measures to boost bus reliability, connect new developments (e.g., Ebbsfleet Garden City) and encourage modal shift from cars.
- Active travel and cycle infrastructure investments - Local authority schemes and developer-funded works expanding cycle lanes, safer routes to schools, and improved cycle–rail integration to support commuting by bike.
- Freight and logistics capacity enhancements - Upgrades to freight routes, port rail freight links and hinterland road access to cater for growth in freight movements through Kent’s Channel ports and the Channel Tunnel.