Director Shareholding

National Express Group PLC
4 December 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BY MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL

DATED 04 DECEMBER 2000

                          National Express Group PLC


The Company has been informed that on 01 December 2000, the Trustee of the
National Express Group Qualifying Employee Share Trust transferred 7,198
ordinary shares for £27,205.41 to satisfy the exercise of options under the
National Express Group 1992 Savings Related Share Scheme. Following this
transfer, the National Express Group Qualifying Employee Share Trust holds a
total interest in the Company of 1,288,262 shares. As all employees of the
Company and its subsidiaries are potential beneficiaries under the Trust on an
equal basis, the executive directors of the Company, Messrs P White, R H
Brown, R O'Toole and W Rollason, in their capacity as members of the class of
potential beneficiaries under the Trust, are deemed to have an interest in
these shares pursuant to the Companies Act 1985.


ENDS