National expresses by numbers
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• The National Bus Company's nationwide express coach network comes into being next month, bringing together services operated under more than 40 different fleet names.
This is the culmination of the establishment of a Central Activities Group in January 1972, charged with the responsibility for creating and operating a national network of express services, tours, inclusive holidays and charter services under Mr. D. W. Glassborow, executive director.
A whole range of new service numbers is being added to the familiar names in the timetables. ranging from 1 to 999. The London-Birmingham route operated by Midland Red will be 501, for example, and Bristol Greyhound's London-Bristol route will become 600.
The network vehicles will carry the white livery first introduced last summer and now being applied to a total of more than 2000 coaches. A single National ticket will now replace the many different company tickets and will be available from many travel agents throughout England and Wales for travel anywhere in the network.
NBC is mounting a press and television advertising campaign throughout the winter months to tell the public about the new national services. Operating under the trading name of National Travel, facilities will increasingly be marketed under brand names such as National Express, National Tours, and National Holidays.
It is intended to move gradually to a position where each agent deals with a single chart room or control centre, and as a first step the number of contact points will be substantially reduced. Agency information telephone contacts are being set up in each area.