National Express to suspend all coach services

National Express is to suspend its network of coach services due to tighter coronavirus restrictions and falling passengers numbers.

The firm said that all of its coach services will be temporarily suspended from 11.59pm on Sunday and all journeys before Monday will be completed to ensure passengers are not stranded.

All customers whose travel has been cancelled will be contacted and offered a free amendment or full refund, it added.

Suspension of coach services – We are temporarily suspending all coach services from 23:59 on Sunday 10 January 2021. Visit our service updates page for more information, links to the latest government guidance & information on ticket amendments & refunds https://t.co/2wHmSAOaHJ

— NX Service Updates (@nxupdates) January 7, 2021

Chris Hardy, managing director of National Express UK Coach, said the decision will be reviewed regularly and the company plans to be back on the road “as soon as the time is right”.

He said a provisional restart date of Monday March 1 has been put in place.

Mr Hardy added: “We have been providing an important service for essential travel needs.

“However, with tighter restrictions and passenger numbers falling, it is no longer appropriate to do this.

“As the vaccination programme is rolled out and Government guidance changes, we will regularly review when we can restart services.

“We plan to be back on the road as soon as the time is right and have put a provisional restart date of Monday March 1 in place (subject to change).

“The whole team at National Express worked incredibly hard throughout 2020 and I want to thank them for their efforts as we pause our services.

“We will now make sure we are ready to get back behind the wheel as soon as the nation needs us again.”

National Express first suspended coach services during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in April, then restarted with reduced frequencies in July.