15 February 2010

Apna Express is a first for Woods

A new express coach service from Leicester to London was launched today [Monday, 15 February] – a ´first´ for local operator Woods Coaches.

The Apna Express makes a direct journey from Leicester´s St Margaret´s Bus Station to north-west London, with stops at Stanmore, Edgware, Collindale, Kingsbury Underground Station and Wembley. It is Woods´ first regular express coach route.
Given a send-off by Leicester´s Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Manjula Sood, Cllr Peter Coley, leader of the Liberal Democrat group and Cllr Annette Byrne, the service is aimed at serving the local Asian community but has stops at the Underground network for onward journeys into central London.

“Many Leicester people have family in the Wembley area and there are some fine temples, shopping and restaurants nearby,” said Woods´ Managing Director Kevin Brown. “There are also some very good Asian film theatres, and shopping areas with Indian goods, not to mention events like the London Mela cultural festival in Gunnersbury Park.”

The Apna Express – apna is Hindi for ´ours´ – is a weekday service leaving the bus station at 0830hrs and returning to arrive in Leicester at around 1800hrs. Fares are £9 single, £16 day return, bookable on-line via Woods´ website, through the bus station´s Arriva travel shop and from travel agent Evington Travel in East Park Road, Leicester.

The service was the brainchild of Navin Topiwala, one of Woods´ drivers, and the project has been led by Bill Tanser, Woods traffic manager – the 2007 Manager of the Year in the Coach Operator Excellence Awards.

For further details, please contact Bill Tanser at Woods Coaches, on 0116 278 6374.

PHOTO: Driver Navin Topiwala gets the blessing of Deputy Lord Mayor of Leicester Cllr Manjula Sood, with (left to right) one of its first passengers, Cllr Annette Byrne and local Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Peter Coley.