The August bank holiday is expected to be the busiest weekend for summer events and with rail strikes disrupting travel plans, National Express is helping to keep Britain moving by adding more than 15,000 seats across its UK-wide scheduled network. 

As Britons head out and about to make the most of the long weekend, National Express is increasing capacity on its popular intercity routes to meet demand, including services to and from London Victoria and major airports. It is also running dedicated coach services to Leeds and Reading festivals. 

Services to Manchester are particularly busy as people flock to the city for a number of large events including its biggest Pride festival, Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford and Noel Gallagher’s gig at Wythenshawe Park. The UK’s leading coach operator is expecting to carry 22% more passengers travelling to and from Manchester between Friday and Monday. 

John Boughton, commercial director at National Express, said: “People deserve decent public transport and customers are yet again having a difficult experience on the railways. Judging by our forward bookings, travelling by coach is clearly becoming the preferred choice - it’s reliable, great value and you’re guaranteed a seat. 

“We've added extra capacity on our busiest routes to meet demand, however tickets are selling fast. Our network will be a lot busier than usual so we strongly encourage customers to plan in advance, allow plenty of time for travel or onward connections, and to be patient with our teams who are working hard to help people get to their destination safely.” 

Customers can expect a safe and comfortable experience on board, with leather reclining seats, free wi-fi, USB power sockets and a generous luggage allowance of up to 20kg. 

Visit www.nationalexpress.com to plan your journey.