National Express is to suspend all coach services due to new restrictions

National Express has announced it is to suspend its network of coach services due to tighter coronavirus restrictions across the UK and falling passengers numbers.

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

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

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 also 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.