Season’s greetings, as coach and bus take the strain  

24 December 2018

Some buses continue to run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and across the festive period. There is a clear demand for travel that makes you think that, one year when all the engineering work has been done (!), rail might find it has more of a market at this time of year than it thinks. 

As rail engineering works bite hard this year – yes, most of the network is open, but there is a lot going on which will deter rail travellers or push them to travel at a different time – coach is picking up the slack. National Express and Megabus are putting on an extra 150,000 seats during the holidays making coach a good choice if you need to get around. 

Coach still strikes me a transport mode that just doesn’t get enough attention paid to it. Lots of potential for flexible, value for money travel that can really supplement and compete with rail.

Transport Focus is working with Highways England to get coach travel built into the planning stages of projects so provision is made for future growth in coach services. It is also working with Heathrow and the Department for Transport on access to airports, with a particular focus on why passengers do – or don’t – choose coach. Look at Stansted, with its vibrant coach market. 

Me? I will be staying mainly around Tooting during the holidays. Enough commuting and travel done for one year!

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