The coach and bus market in the UK and across Europe is growing, though UK operators may be holding back investment amid funding fears, says the SMMT
The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that Britain’s new coach and bus market grew slightly – by 0.6% compared to 2021 – in the second quarter of 2022, rounding off 17.9% growth during the first half of the year, with more than 2,000 vehicles being registered. This is positive news, notes the SMMT, yet the number of new buses and coaches joining UK roads is still some 46.4% below the pre-pandemic five-year average. 1,066 new buses and coaches were registered in Britain in the period from April to June, taking the year’s total so far to 2,040.
Looking at the figures, SMMT CEO Mike Hawes noted: “The slow recovery is a concern, as this sector is essential to ensuring everyone in British society can be on the move, and has a key role to play on the Road to Zero. Delivering bus fleet renewal is critical to achieving the UK’s ambitious decarbonisation goals, and while the sector already currently exceeds the passenger car sector in its embrace of zero-emission technology, there is a long way to go before regions across the UK have mass mobility via the latest zero-emission buses.” Approximately 1.3% of buses are battery-electric, compared to 1.1% of cars.
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