The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has warned that including costs for carbon offsetting in tickets for public transport journeys could cause a rise in car usage.
In its response to the Government’s call for evidence on the issue, which invited views on whether companies selling travel tickets, including for coach travel, should have to offer additional carbon offsets so that consumers can choose to compensate when they book, it urged caution. Currently coaches and buses contribute only 3% of domestic transport emissions, it said, compared to almost two thirds from cars.
CPT Policy Manager, Alison Edwards, said: “If we are to achieve the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, it is vital that we get people out of their cars and onto public transport. This should be the priority, rather than looking for ways to further penalise public transport. If the Government goes ahead with the introduction of carbon offsetting for coach and bus travel it must do the same for cars.
“While better information about the carbon footprint of journeys could encourage people to make more sustainable journeys, if this information excludes car travel it could give a misleading impression about the true carbon impact of journeys.
“The industry has committed to introducing contactless, price-capped daily and weekly tickets across operators in major urban areas by 2022 where it will be impossible to determine the carbon footprint until the ticket expires by tracking its use. In the last five years operators have invested £1.3bn in new cleaner and greener buses and received global recognition for their work to reduce their carbon footprint. We should be seeking to promote their leadership to other transport sectors.”
