Lucketts Travel, Worthing Coaches, Clarkes of London and The Kings Ferry Coaches to return to their local roots
20th October 2025
The Coach Travel Group has significantly strengthened its UK footprint with the acquisition of four well-known and respected operators from National Express Transport Solutions: Lucketts Travel, Worthing Coaches, Clarkes of London, and The Kings Ferry.
This strategic move reflects The Coach Travel Group’s commitment to reinvesting in the UK’s coach travel sector and restoring the local identities of these businesses while maintaining their trusted service delivery in private hire, contract work and coach services, which will continue under the new ownership.
Tom Stables, CEO of The Coach Travel Group, said: “We are thrilled to welcome these four operators to The Coach Travel Group. This is a powerful example of our mission in action bringing together respected regional brands, many with family-run heritage and giving them the support they need to thrive in today’s market. We’re not only safeguarding their future, we’re giving them the tools to grow.
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The acquisition of The Kings Ferry and The Kings Ferry Connections strengthens our ability to fulfil nationally through the established team, bringing with it a highly regarded national sales platform and a significant, long-standing client base. These assets complement and operate in synergy with The Coach Travel Group model, enhancing collaboration across our network of Operators and enabling seamless, in-house nationwide fulfilment. Coupled with access to a substantial partner operator database, this integration allows us to rapidly scale operations to support major events and meet the demands of high-intensity clients with consistency, flexibility, and reliability.”
The Coach Travel Group was launched in June 2024 following the merger of
Alpine Travel,
Barnes Coaches,
Coatham Coaches,
JH Coaches,
Johnsons Coaches,
The Ready Group,
Swans Travel and
Whittles Coaches. In December 2024,
Stewarts Coaches and
Horseman Coaches also joined the Group, further strengthening its position as one of the UK’s leading coach operators. The Group now employs around 700 people and operates a combined fleet of more than 450 vehicles nationwide.
Tom added: “
The addition of Lucketts, Worthing Coaches, Clarkes and The Kings Ferry gives us a stronger presence across the South and South East. Importantly, we are continuing to operate scheduled coach services on behalf of National Express, which remain a crucial part of the UK’s national coach network. At the same time, we are committed to restoring each operator’s local identity and empowering them to grow in the private hire and contract space.”
The acquired companies include:
- Lucketts Travel – a respected Hampshire-based operator with deep community roots.
- Worthing Coaches – serving Sussex with a strong reputation for group transport and contract services.
- Clarkes of London – a trusted name in private hire and contract travel in the capital.
- The Kings Ferry – a premium operator with a legacy in Kent and the wider South East.
While now part of a national group, all four brands will continue to operate under their original names, maintaining their commitment to customer service and local relationships. Integration is already underway to enable the companies to benefit from shared resources, technology, and group-wide support.
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By bringing together operators who are aligned in their values and service quality, we’re creating a group that balances national reach with local expertise. This approach allows us to meet the evolving needs of customers across the UK while setting new standards for coach travel.” – Tom Stables, CEO of The Coach Travel Group.
Kevin Gale, Chief Executive Officer of National Express UK & Germany, said:
“We are pleased to complete this deal with The Coach Travel Group and we welcome them as our new partner operator on the scheduled coach network. Following a comprehensive review of our UK coach business, this move allows us to focus on areas where we can deliver the greatest value to our customers and stakeholders, while pursuing new opportunities for growth and future success.
“We are very proud of the achievements of our Transport Solutions colleagues and their valuable contributions over the years. We wish them every success for the future.”
