Demand for Megabus services has not reached pre-pandemic levels (Picture: Getty Images)
The coach service operator Megabus has announced it is cutting its routes across England and Wales.
Demand for its services has failed to meet pre-pandemic levels – despite the operator offering fares for as little as £1.
It will continue to operate its routes in Scotland as well as all cross-border services between Scotland, England and Wales, reports Route One.
The Falcon route between Bristol and Plymouth will also continue unchanged but all other operations in England and Wales will cease from December 4.
Anglo-Scottish and Anglo-Welsh routes will still provide links within England and Wales, including between Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield and London, between Manchester, Birmingham and London, and between Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff.
Customers with bookings affected by the changes will be contacted by Megabus and provided with alternative transport or a refund.
Megabus managing director Simone Walsh said: ‘It is not sustainable for us to continue operating our current network as the customer demand is simply too low.’
The decision to reduce service levels will ensure that Megabus has ‘a more efficient network going forward,’ she added.
Customers impacted will be given alternative forms of travel or refunds (Picture: In Pictures via Getty Images)
Ms Walsh continued: ‘We want to thank the many passengers who travel with us every day and will ensure that we continue to operate an affordable and high-quality service on the parts of the network that are unaffected by these changes.’
The company is in consultation with staff and expects ‘a small number of positions will be impacted’.
It carries more than four million passengers a year.
Megabus was founded by Scottish businessman Sir Brian Souter in 2003 and its network once linked more than 100 locations across the UK.
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