Lucketts-owned Coliseum Coaches said it is preparing itself for what could be one of its busiest days of the year thanks to the success of its local football team.
Southampton FC, or Saints, has secured its place in the EFL Cup Final after a second win against Liverpool FC. The team will play against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, with more than 31,000 Saints fans expected to travel to London.Coliseum Coaches said it is already seeing a surge in calls and visits to its website.
Paul Barringer, Group Sales and Marketing Director, said: “We’ve seen huge demand for coach tickets since news broke that Saints would be in the final.
“The team’s fans are some of the most passionate supporters in the country so it’s no surprise that many have been quick to arrange their travel plans to Wembley. This, coupled with the fact we’re offering one of the lowest price coach travel packages to and from the game, means we’re bracing ourselves for a very busy day on February 26.
“We have already set aside more than 10 luxurious 53-seater coaches for the big day but, with the level of demand we’re seeing at the moment, we can easily triple the number of vehicles we put on. We have a fleet of almost 130 so have the capacity to transport thousands of fans to Wembley if needed.”
Coliseum Coaches, which is offering return tickets to the Wembley game at £20 per person, is no stranger to high demand and has run more than 50 coaches to a single football game in the past.
Paul said: “It’s a huge logistical undertaking, but we’re more than qualified for the challenge. Our staff across all areas of the business, from sales and planning to engineering and driving, are already working together to ensure the day runs with military precision.”
Coliseum Coaches, which has even had calls from fans asking to book entire coaches for group travel to the game, will be putting on extra drivers on the day. Pick-up points will be placed at Coliseum Coaches’ depot in West End, Britannia Road in Southampton, Eastleigh bus station, The King Alfred Statue in Winchester and at Fleet Services on the M3.
Paul added: “While we can’t predict exactly how many seats we’ll be filling on the day, one thing is for sure; we’ll be glued to the game and keeping our fingers crossed for a Saints victory.”
