Nantwich is set to lose its only National Express coach service from Monday 13 April, leaving the town completely cut off from the UK's largest scheduled coach network.

The 551 service, which runs from Liverpool One Bus Station to London Victoria Coach Station via Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, and Heathrow, also stops in Chester and Nantwich.

With its cancellation, both Cheshire locations will no longer appear on the National Express network.

With fares starting at £11.20 one way, the 551 currently departs Nantwich Bus Station for London at 8.20am (Monday to Friday) and 8.25am (Saturday and Sunday), taking around six hours.

When travelling north, the coach leaves Nantwich at 10.20pm on weekdays and 10.05pm on weekends, arriving into Liverpool just before midnight.

With fares starting at £11.20 one way, the 551 currently departs Nantwich Bus Station for London at 8.20am (Monday to Friday) and 8.25am (Saturday and Sunday(, taking around six hours (Photo: Ryan Parker).

A local resident told Nub News: "I have used this service on several occasions and am saddened to see I won't be able to get on at Nantwich anymore.

"The 551 was a convenient and reliable coach service for local people, when there aren't enough of these services already.

advertisement

"I really wish National Express would reconsider these changes."

A National Express spokesperson said the company regularly reviews its network to ensure services operate efficiently and meet customer demand.

From April 13, they are increasing daily journeys between Liverpool and Manchester from 14 to 25, with faster, more direct journeys.

Overall journeys between Liverpool and London will remain the same, with the company saying adjustments will be made for busier periods.

The fastest journeys from Liverpool to London will still take under five and a half hours.

A National Express spokesperson told Nub News: "National Express service number 551 from Liverpool to London via Nantwich will cease to operate from 13 April 2026.

"This change is part of a comprehensive review of our national network and unfortunately services via Nantwich are commercially unviable due to low passenger demand.

"We appreciate that some people will be disappointed by this change. Although there are no immediate plans to reinstate the service, we will keep this decision under review."

advertisement

READ MORE: New 66-bed residential care home proposed for Nantwich.

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Nantwich Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

Please consider following Nantwich Nub News on Facebook.