Super service delayed
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PLANS by National Travel to introduce its first super luxury express coach service have been delayed.
For a day-return fare of £9.20 from Leeds and £8.60 from Sheffield, passengers to London on the proposed service would have meals served by hostesses while they relaxed in reclining seats listening to radio headsets.
A hearing before the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners was adjourned last week because the detailed specification of the coaches was not yet ready.
Superlink, as the new service is known, is planned to cater for Yorkshire-London business travellers leaving Leeds and Sheffield at 0700 and 0730 respectively and arriving in London at 1030.
Mr John King, commercial manager, National Travel (North East), said adjournment was being sought because National wanted to show the Commissioners exactly what the vehicle would look like. In addition the catering arrangements had not yet been finalised and they had been advised it would be unwise to go ahead at this stage.
Variation of the existing Keighley/London licence had to be sought as the coaches would carry only about 30 passengers and higher fares were needed. Fares would include meals and the journey would be faster by 50 minutes than the normal service.
British Rail's existing dayreturn fares are £9.30 from Leeds and £8.10 from Sheffield. The standard second-class return fares are £17.40 and £14.30 respectively.