Reacting to the Chancellor's statement, Alison Edwards, Director
of Policy and External Relations at the Confederation of
Passenger Transport, said:
“Buses are the UK's most popular and affordable form of public
transport, carrying over 10 million people a day. We welcome the
Government's ambition of improving buses nationwide and this
week's package of £1 billion in public funding for buses will
safeguard vital routes and ensure that fares across England are
capped at £3.
“However, our industry is a major employer in towns and cities
across the UK, responsible for more than 150,000 jobs. The
Chancellor's increase in national insurance contributions will
weigh heavily on bus and coach operators, typically costing £800
a year for each driver.
“This big tax rise will weaken the ability of bus operators to
invest in higher frequencies, new routes and modern,
environmentally friendly vehicles. And it will hurt coach
operators, many of which are small, family owned businesses.
“Aside from this, we welcome the Government's decision to freeze
fuel duty. Extra money to fix potholes will give our passengers
smoother journeys. And the prospect of additional funding for
hydrogen transport, and zero emission vehicles, is a positive as
long as buses and coaches are included.
“Of every ten pounds spent on Britain's high streets, a pound is
spent by bus passengers – contributing almost £40 billion a year
to local economies. Long distance coaches, meanwhile, carry
visitors who spend £8.3 billion annually in towns, cities and
tourist destination.
“Collectively, the bus and coach sector is vital in achieving the
Government's missions of kickstarting economic growth and
breaking down barriers to opportunity. However, contradictory
policies which, on the one hand, support public transport and on
the other hand impose substantial extra costs, are unhelpful.”
