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National Express to
run extra train for England football fans
08 May 2008
Additional
late-night service to follow Wembley friendly with United
States
Train operator National Express East Coast is to run an
extra late night train for football fans returning home
after England’s friendly match versus the USA at London’s
Wembley Stadium on the evening of Wednesday, 28 May.
The extra train will leave King’s Cross at 11.45pm,
calling at Stevenage, Grantham, Newark North Gate and
Doncaster before terminating at York at 2.21am next morning.
Tickets for the extra train are on sale now, with advance
return fares from York to London, booked online, starting
from £20 Standard Class or £65 First Class. Information and
bookings are available via the National Express website at
www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com, or by calling 08457
225225.
John Gelson, spokesman for National Express East Coast,
said: “Normally our last northbound train to York leaves
London at 10pm and to Grantham, Newark, Doncaster and Leeds
at 11.30.
“This extra late night train makes it possible for
football fans living up to 188 miles from London to go to
the game in comfort and style and return home afterwards
without the extra cost of an overnight hotel stay in the
capital. It also allows theatre goers the opportunity to
have a longer night out in London.”
Tickets and information for the game are available via
the Football Association’s website at
www.thefa.com.
Easy Access to Europe 15 August
2006
A new National Express
coach service opening up European travel to people in a
wheelchair will be launched by Roger Helmer, Member of the
European Parliament for the East Midlands in Nottingham
today at 1pm (15 August). The 767 Nottingham and Leicester
to Luton and Stansted airports is the first route in the UK
to offer accessible travel on an exclusive National Express
coach offering benefits including leather seats and air
conditioning.
The service operates directly to both airports six times a
day from Nottingham Broadmarsh Bus Station and additionally
serves Leicester, Luton and Hertford. Five new generation
easy access coaches, representing an investment of
£2million, are the result of three years research and
development by National Express and feature a wheelchair
lift incorporated into the passenger entrance.
Mike Lambden, Head of Corporate Affairs at National Express
said, "Today represents a significant milestone in National
Express’ history. After a sustained process of developing a
service that suits the needs of our customers, we are
delighted to be able to provide accessible transport to the
airport for not only people in a wheelchair but also for
people with mobility impairments and the elderly."
Roger Helmer, Member of the European Parliament for the East
Midlands said, "This is a wonderful breakthrough to ease the
lives of disabled people and that will help make European
travel both more accessible and more enjoyable. I am
delighted that one of the first routes will be from
Nottingham and Leicester in the East Midlands."
The new generation easy access coach features a wider
entrance and a completely flat floor throughout the coach to
aid mobility for all. Other features include reclining
leather seats, air conditioning and a large toilet. A
program of other coach routes around the UK is being put in
place which will see the entire UK-wide National Express
network being fully accessible for the time of the 2012
London Olympics and Paralympics.
-ENDS-
For more information please
contact Joy Williams on 0121 423 8716 or 07795 267 453.
Thousands of National Express customers
will be able to spread out and relax across two seats when
they travel by coach from 4 July 2005.
After introducing many new dynamic fare initiatives such as
fun fares from as little as £1 and Go Anywhere fares for £9
return, National Express' latest travel innovation will give
customers the option of booking two seats together for sole
occupancy for an additional £5 on selected routes and
services.
This extra seat will guarantee added comfort and privacy
allowing passengers to stretch out and enjoy valuable
personal space with which to read, sleep, work or study
whilst 'on the go'.
"This is a revolutionary travel scheme that will guarantee
travellers the seat next to them for the duration of the
journey and will encourage many more people to consider
using the coach," commented Ian McInnes, Commercial Director
for National Express. "Customers will be able to spread out
and relax, not having to worry about the coach filling to
capacity at the next pick up point, then having to share
valuable personal space. Taller and larger people will love
the extra room to relax and there are a growing number of
customers who want to work or sleep whilst they travel."
'Next to you' customers will also benefit from the added
advantage of being pre-boarded allowing them to choose where
they want to sit on the coach prior to other customers being
seated. A special head-rest cover will be issued, which can
then be put on the adjoining seat indicating that it is
'reserved' and cannot be used.
The 'next to you' seat costs just an extra £5 for a single
trip and £10 for a return and is currently available on
selected routes and services. "Journeys will become even
more relaxing and £5 is not a large sum to pay for 100% more
space", added Ian, "In the future we will expand the
initiative to more towns and cities in the UK, hopefully
encouraging more people to get out of their cars and onto
public transport, as one of the main reasons car users give
for continuing to go it alone is the fact that they like
their personal space."
The 'next to you' seat campaign is being launched on 4 July,
but can be booked from 20 June, on thousands of National
Express seats per week on selected routes and services
across the UK*.
- Ends -
Notes to editors:
- *The selected routes and services are:
- 450 Nottingham
to/from London
- 540/541 Manchester
to/from London
- 787 Cambridge
to/from Heathrow
- 777 Birmingham
to/from Stansted
- 200 Bristol to/from Gatwick
- The 'next to you' seat is only
currently available if the customer books their ticket
online at www.nationalexpress.com. To book the seat 'next
to you', simply book a ticket on www.nationalexpress.com,
using the journey planner. If the seat 'next to you' is
available, the customer will be offered the chance to add
it to their booking when the fare is chosen.
- If a customer has requested special
assistance through the National Express Disabled Person
Travel Helpline then they will precede a 'next to you'
customer when boarding.
- National Express created an dedicated
project team to ensure this initiative was completed and
in operation within 100 days of its conception.
- 'Next to you' customers have the option
of taking additional hand luggage onto a coach.
- 'Next to you' seats can be purchased
with all ticket types, even funfares which start from as
little as £1. A customer cannot allow another person to
travel in their 'next to you' seat unless they have their
own valid ticket. Normal terms and conditions of carriage
apply.
For further information please contact Joy
Williams in the National Express PR department on 0121 423
8716
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