The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), has called on the government to firm-up its policy for the PSV sector after it pledged to purchase only ultra-low or zero emission vehicles from 2025.
The representative body of the five major bus and coach firms, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), has called on the government to firm-up its policy for the PSV sector after it pledged to purchase only ultra-low or zero emission vehicles from 2025.
Speaking on behalf of Arriva, FirstGroup, Go Ahead, National Express and Stagecoach, the CPT say that declining central funding has caused diminished services, particularly in rural areas where many routes have been cut or cancelled.
Graham Vidler, CPT Chief Executive, told the Guardian: “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 500,000 tonnes a year.”
CPT has proposed lower fares for job seekers and apprentices, smart ticketing and a long-term solution for rural areas. It suggests that a revised strategy will increase the 4.4bn journeys that are made each year by bus, and in doing so, reduce harmful emissions that are fuelling the climate crisis.