Green Mean Commuter Machine
National Express launches new commuter coach service
Thursday 26 July 2007
National Express, Britain's number one coach operator, is set to introduce a new service specifically for commuters on Monday 30 July from Milton Keynes to Canary Wharf, via tube stations in central London.
The scheme will provide commuters with a new convenient way of travelling to the heart of London's business district five days a week. To encourage people to leave their cars behind, the service will call at two car parks at Atterbury, Childs Way and Kingston District Centre as well as Milton Keynes Coachway off J14 of the M1. In London, the coach serves six key locations including Angel Station in Islington as well as Archway Station on the Holloway Road.
The service is designed to give commuters another, greener, option to the car or train when travelling to and from work whilst also being able to spend valuable time working or relaxing when on the road. Every passenger will be guaranteed a leather reclining seat on the brand new £250,000 vehicle and will have access to free wi-fi and daily newspapers plus a seat desk and power socket - all to ensure their journey is as comfortable, stress free and productive as possible.
Commenting on the new service, Dave Watkin, Sales and Marketing Director at National Express, said: "The launch of this service is timely as introducing commuter coach services will not only help to reduce congestion on our roads, it will also have a positive impact on the environment."
Using the measure of carbon emissions on a per passenger kilometer basis (kgCO2/pass.km), with data that have been calculated independently by the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management, a return journey from Milton Keynes to Canary Wharf, each person travelling by coach instead of the car would save 19.52kg of CO2 which is the equivalent of boiling 364 kettles. Using the coach every weekday would save 97.6kg of CO2 which is the equivalent of powering the average home for six days.
Dave Watkin continues: "Throughout Europe, and in particular in Spain, travelling to and from work on a coach is extremely popular. National Express, through extensive research, believes that a similar service in the UK, which provides commuters with a cost effective, reliable working environment to travel to and from work will be warmly received. If this is the case we envisage rolling the Commuter Coach services out to other major cities throughout the UK."
The new service will also help people to save money. National Express has developed a newly branded Commuter Pass offering discounts of up to 45% compared to the existing Milton Keynes to London Victoria coach service. The annual season ticket will cost just £1600, and when compared to the annual rail season ticket priced at £4040 and a cost of £8047 for driving and parking at Canary Wharf, huge savings can be had. (Source: www.nationalrail.co.uk, www.transportdirect.info and www.theaa.com)
The Milton Keynes to Canary Wharf service has been designed in response to research which has shown that potential and existing coach customers prioritise travel options mainly by price and the suitability of arrival and departure timings. Additionally, National Express will monitor satisfaction levels closely by using a text feedback system, test new product developments and continue to build relationships with its customers through enhancing the service appropriately.
Commuter Service - Monday to Friday
| Pick up: Milton Keynes Coachway, M1 jct 14 |
06:00 |
| Pick up: Atterbury, Childs Way |
06:02 |
| Pick up: Kingston District Centre |
06:05 |
| Set down: Archway Station, Holloway Rd |
07:15 |
| Set down: Holloway, Holloway Rd Jct |
07:20 |
| Set down: Islington, Angel Station |
07:30 |
| Set down: Moorgate |
07:40 |
| Set down: Bank, Bornhill Royal Exchange |
07:45 |
| Set down: Aldgate, St Botolph Street |
07:50 |
| Set down: Canary Wharf, West India Avenue |
08:05 |
|
| Pick up: Canary Wharf, West India Avenue |
17:40 |
| Pick up: Aldgate, St Botolph Street |
17:55 |
| Pick up: Bank, Bornhill Royal Exchange |
18:00 |
| Pick up: Moorgate |
18:05 |
| Pick up: Islington, Angel Station |
18:12 |
| Pick up: Holloway, Holloway Rd Jct |
18:25 |
| Pick up: Archway Station, Holloway Rd |
18:35 |
| Set down: Milton Keynes Coachway, M1 jct 14 |
19:40 |
| Set down: Kingston District Centre |
19:42 |
| Set down: Atterbury, Childs Way |
19:45 |
Log onto www.nationalexpress.com/commuter or call 08717 818181
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact (MEDIA ENQUIRIES ONLY):-
Joy Williams, National Express: 0121 423 8716
- Sara Jenkins, Beth Zaltzman or Nicola Walker, IAS Smarts: 0121 456 3199
Notes to editors:- As Britain's No 1 coach operator, National Express also operates a high frequency service to all major UK airports. With a record number of passengers choosing to travel with National Express, the company continues to invest in high specification vehicles and state-of-art customer facilities. The division employs over 1,500 people.
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