Coach Tourism Association (CTA) members discussed the prospects for zero-emission coaches operating coach tours at the organisation’s recent summer networking event in Hertfordshire. Nearly 100 delegates heard presentations on the latest developments in zero-emission (ZE) coaches, including both new vehicles and retrofit. The event, held on Sunday 23 and Monday 24 July, aimed to help members, including operators as well as industry suppliers, start to prepare for the transition ahead.
Speaker Ian Downie, Head of Yutong at Pelican Bus & Coach, explained that the manufacturer has 39 vehicles in service across the UK and gave a preview of the upcoming Yutong GTe14 coach. Ian Foley, Managing Director of Equipmake, explained about the opportunity for electric repowering of coaches.
“The seminar generated strong engagement from our members about the zero-emissions vehicle transition,” said CTA Chair, Robert Shaw. “We all accept – the manufacturers included – that challenges remain, and we all need to work together to find solutions. CTA is in a unique position to help meet these challenges, with our reach across the whole sector. The solutions will require strong cooperation to ensure we have charging possibilities for electric vehicles, and it was good to hear that our attraction and hotel members are keen to work with operators to address the challenges ahead.”
