A LEADING Hampshire coach firm has won a multi-million pound contract creating 40 new jobs.

Fareham-based Lucketts Travel announced the deal with National Express as it scooped a national accolade for its coach holidays at this year’s Coach Tourism Awards.

The firm has also just won planning permission to double the size of its offices and workshop at Fareham.

The family-owned business, which was established in 1926, offers coach hire and executive business travel as well as around 100 European and British holidays and day excursions.

Its expansion has seen it invest £2.5m in 12 new state-of-the-art coaches, taking its fleet of vehicles to 71, and it now employs over 100 staff.

Lucketts beat stiff competition to win the contract to run three National Express routes from Portsmouth to London and Bristol, and from Chichester to London.

Director Ian Luckett said: “It’s a big investment for us and we’re very pleased with the way it’s running. We are forging ahead in a methodical manner trying to offer our customers quality.”

The business has also seen sales for its holidays – for which it won UK Holiday Programme of the Year – benefit from the recession.

UK holiday bookings have risen 20 per cent over the past year, Mr Luckett said, helped by the pound’s fall against the euro.

The new contract is expected to boost Luckett’s annual turnover to £12m for the coming year.