NEWS
Tougher Covid-19 restrictions led to the suspension of most coach services in England and Wales by 11 January and the abrupt withdrawal of government funding for additional Christmas services.
National Express suspended all routes and Stagecoach-owned Megabus all its England and Wales network with effect from 23.59 on 10 January. Megabus continued to operate services within Scotland, and its Glasgow-London service with intermediate stops in Manchester and Birmingham, but says they are for essential travel only.
‘We have been providing an important service for essential travel needs but with tighter restrictions and passenger numbers falling, it is no longer appropriate to do this,’ says NatEx UK coach managing director Chris Hardy.
It hopes to restore service from 1 March if restrictions are eased. Megabus is selling tickets for travel from 26 March onwards. Both operators have offered passengers the choice of a refund or free amendment.
Stagecoach suspended its Oxford Tube services between Oxford and London after operation on Christmas Eve, with both ends of the route then in the highest Tier 4 restrictions, while Taunton-based Berrys’ Superfast routes between the West Country and London last ran on 28 December.
