In the six months to the end of June, the Birmingham-based scheduled coach operator has seen a nearly 40 per cent increase in passenger journeys to and from Birmingham Airport, compared to the same period in 2023.
The growth in passengers follows improvements to services for Birmingham Airport earlier this year, including a new daily 466 service connecting Birmingham Airport with Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Derby, Heathrow and London, and a revised daily 100 service between Bristol and Birmingham, reintroducing Gloucester to the Cross Country coach network.
Ahead of the school summer holidays getaway, National Express has launched its new brand campaign ‘If you know, you go National Express’, aimed at shifting perceptions of coach travel and encouraging people to make the savvy choice of choosing National Express as the smart way to go over other options such as driving and costly rail travel or airport parking.
Catherine Woolfe, customer and marketing director for National Express UK and Ireland, said: “We continue to invest in routes connecting our UK coach network with key airport destinations, and this increase in journeys demonstrates that savvy customers are choosing the most cost effective and sustainable transport option.
“Hundreds of services run day and night to every major airport and customers are repeatedly choosing us because they know we’re the most reliable, affordable and convenient option, with our brilliant coach drivers taking them right to the airport terminal door.
“In anticipation of a busy summer period, we’re looking forward to providing even more customers with great value coach travel and a first-class experience for their summer getaway.”
Nikki Bains, head of planning, transport and strategy for Birmingham Airport, said: “The Airport Surface Access Strategy 2023 sets out targets for increasing sustainable public transport to and from Birmingham Airport. We are delighted with the increase in the use of coach services and view these services as essential in providing passengers with sustainable transport options.
“As an airport, our connectivity by public transport is excellent and the increase in these services is testament to that.”