Campaign for Better Transport response to 2024 Autumn Budget

Responding to today's budget, Paul Tuohy CEO of charity Campaign for Better Transport, said: 

“By choosing to keep the 5p fuel duty cut and continue freezing fuel duty for another year, the Chancellor has committed to costing the Treasury a further £4.2 billion in lost revenue. This revenue could have nearly quadrupled support for English bus services, benefitting millions of passengers and preventing vital services from being cut.  

“The government talks of delivering on the environment yet undermines itself by failing to adequately tax our most polluting forms of transport and support the most sustainable. It's about time the Treasury reconsidered its priorities when it comes to transport.”  

On the decision to increase Air Passenger Duty for private jet passengers and on domestic flights, Mr. Tuohy said:   

“We are pleased that the Chancellor has listened to our calls to raise Air Passenger Duty for private jet passengers. Private jets are up to 14 times more polluting than commercial flights, and it is absolutely right that private passengers pay more for the damage they cause. 

“We also welcome the Chancellor's decision to raise Air Passenger Duty on domestic flights. We hope that the revenue raised will be put towards making sustainable public transport more affordable so that when travelling domestically, the train is the easiest and cheapest choice. The Government must now go even further by introducing a tax on aviation fuel to raise an additional £594 million a year.” 

On the announcement that HS2 will terminate at Euston, Mr. Tuohy added:  

"It is right that High Speed 2 reaches Euston, and we are pleased with the announcement made today. Connecting HS2 to London for connections to the European continent and beyond is vital to unlock all of the economic growth that the scheme offers.   

“With a West Coast Main Line bursting at the seams, it is essential that Government now examines possible replacements for HS2 north of Birmingham to Manchester, and to Leeds, to expand rail capacity and improve connectivity across our country" 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors 

1. According to the Department for Transport's annual bus statistics (Table BUS05bi), the net cost of public support for local bus services across England (including London) in 2023 (2024 figures not yet available) was £1.1 billion. 

2. All planned increases to fuel duty in line with RPI have been cancelled since 2011. This has brought real-term cuts for motorists for 13 years and cost the Treasury £133 billion between 2011/12 and 2024/25. The additional 5p cut over the last two years has cost an additional £7.3 billion since its introduction, but has failed to reach motorists, with retailers not passing the cut on fully. 

3. Private jets are between five and 14 times more polluting than commercial planes (per passenger), and 50 times more polluting than trains, and they are twice as likely to be used for short trips (less than 300 miles), compared to flights in commercial aviation.