Stelios plans easyBus service

Stelios Haji-Ionnou, the founder of budget airline easyJet, is planning to launch a low-cost intercity bus service. According to EasyGroup, the new easyBus service will provide intercity minibus services that will avoid using expensive city centre coach stations. easyBus, which will initially run from London to Birmingham, will vary its prices according to demand and will operate on the basis of the earlier you book, the less you pay. James Rothnie, director of corporate affairs at easyGroup, told Web User: "At the moment we are in talks with both manufacturers and operators. We still don't know if we will use our own minibuses or be the name and marketing behind an existing bus operator." Earlier this year, UK bus company Stagecoach launched a low-cost bus service called Megabus, letting people travel from Manchester to Liverpool from only £1. A spokesman at Stagecoach said: "We can only speculate about EasyGroup launching a low-cost bus network, so far nothing is sure and they are only talking about it. Megabus is offering bus travellers high capacity, comfortable and spacious buses for a cheap price while easyGroup is talking about minibuses." According to a statement at website www.easybus.co.uk, using minibuses will give easyBus "greater flexibility in pick up and drop off points". easyBus is expected to launch in the UK "in the following months". Get Web User magazine every fortnight - subscribe here now