A new National Express coach service has been announced from Southampton to the Midlands.

The 161 service, which started on April 12, takes passengers from Bournemouth to Birmingham.

It also stops at Ringwood, Southampton, Swindon and Cheltenham.

This is in addition to the existing 160 service and will enhance the number of services between Southampton and Birmingham.

This move is a recent investment by the company towards direct, efficient services that connect towns, cities, and coastal areas. It is in response to offering customers affordable, reliable, and sustainable alternatives for transportation.

In recent years, National Express has seen a surge of customers gravitating towards coach travel.

This led to the introduction of more routes across the UK in the previous year. The company also announced it had purchased 130 new vehicles to replace older models and to add to its fleet.

Additionally, from April 12, National Express will revamp other services to ensure more efficient journeys. These changes include revising daily services between Portsmouth, London, Southampton, Bristol, and Birmingham among others.

Ed Rickard, Network Director for National Express UK and Ireland, said: "With continued investment in our coach network, including the introduction of this new, direct route connecting Southampton with Swindon and Cheltenham, plus more services to Birmingham, we are making it even easier for savvy travellers to save their money with convenient, great value travel and a guaranteed seat. 

"More and more people are choosing to travel with National Express as a reliable, affordable and sustainable way to get around, and we're responding by investing in new vehicles and services while delivering a brilliant customer experience for a relaxing, comfortable journey."

National Express assures its customers of a comfortable and safe journey, complete with reclining leather seats, free Wi-Fi, USB charging ports, and a luggage allowance of up to 20kg.