Commitments include price-capped daily and weekly multi-operator ticketing in urban areas
The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has launched a new bus strategy for England. Named ‘Moving Forward Together,’ the initiative is described as ‘the industry’s vision for how to get one billion more journeys taken by bus by 2030.’
Commitments from CPT member operators include:
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- Only purchasing ultra-low or zero emission vehicles from 2025;
- Introducing discounted ticketing for apprentices and job seekers; and
- Price capped daily and weekly ticketing in urban areas across multiple operators.
In order to help the industry deliver those commitments, the CPT is calling on the Government to work with industry to create a national bus strategy, avoid sudden changes to the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), and agree a roadmap with the industry to zero emissions transport, including continued support for purchasing ultra-low and zero emission vehicles.
Graham Vidler, CPT Chief Executive said: “Buses are already the cleanest form of road transport and have a crucial role to play in tackling environmental issues and helping to meet important targets on improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions.
“With the right support from government to make the transition the bus industry will buy only ultra-low or zero emission buses by 2025, reducing CO2 emissions by half a million tonnes a year.
“We can do even more to tackle climate change and improve air quality by getting people out of their cars and onto the bus. If everyone switched just one car journey a month to bus, there would be a billion fewer car journeys and a saving of two million tonnes of CO2 a year.
“Better bus services are the key to shifting travel habits and growing the significant economic contribution the industry makes.
“We know that congestion remains the biggest barrier to increasing passenger numbers in towns and cities and that many rural communities feel current bus services don’t meet their needs. We’ll continue to invest in better buses with better facilities and simpler ticketing.
“We need government to incentivise local authorities to cut congestion and work with us to examine new ways of delivering transport services that work for more isolated communities.”
David Sidebottom, Director of independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Nearly half of passengers surveyed in our Bus Passenger Survey say that the bus is the only real means of transport available to them, so it’s vital that their service is on time, reliable and offers good value for money.
“It’s imperative that bus services are built around the needs of passengers and that their views and aspirations are at the heart of decision-making. If it’s good for the environment, that’s a big bonus.”
More information is available at movingforwardtogether.uk
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