The impact of the rail network woes on the coach sector

[Class 317]

The national express quarter 2 trading update was showing coach numbers up 9 % on 2019 with loadings at 78%. On some routes they state demand is well in excess of 2019.

Sorry unable to post a link or quote from phone.

Will be interesting to see what January's update says.

In terms of stops coming back it's been an ambition for a number of years to restore Reading Town Centre stops and a series of bus priority schemes finish this year so I'm hoping for more services than stop at the park and ride site.

 

[route101]

The national express quarter 2 trading update was showing coach numbers up 9 % on 2019 with loadings at 78%. On some routes they state demand is well in excess of 2019.

Sorry unable to post a link or quote from phone.

Will be interesting to see what January's update says.

In terms of stops coming back it's been an ambition for a number of years to restore Reading Town Centre stops and a series of bus priority schemes finish this year so I'm hoping for more services than stop at the park and ride site.

I guess most of the demand for Reading is heading West rather than to London.

 

[kingston_toon]

I have to admit as a regular rail traveller and someone who loves flying that I'd only ever consider the coach to be an absolute distress purchase i.e. there are no trains or flights, or I can't delay my journey long enough until the trains are running again, or the train is so ridiculously expensive that I can't afford it. This is purely a personal thing for me but I hate being crammed into a coach, not being able to get up for a wander around and I quickly feel nauseous on a coach (or car) when reading or looking at my phone, something that never happens on the train. So while I can do a little run up to Stansted or back if there are no trains, I wouldn't even check the price for coaches from London to South Wales, Scotland etc, however "comfortable" some might say it is.