RHA has opened a survey that seeks input from coach operators and those with HGVs and vans to inform the trade body’s work with government and other stakeholders on eventual delivery of net-zero in those sectors.
The exercise opened on 3 March and runs to 1700hrs on 15 April. Submissions are made via a SurveyMonkey online portal that splits much of the evidence gathering into segments based on each respective vehicle type.
Views are sought on battery-electric, hydrogen and other low-carbon fuels such as HVO, compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas. The survey follows opinions aired by various stakeholders – including former Under-Secretary for Transport Richard Holden – that coach decarbonisation will closely echo the trajectory in HGV.
Within the questions, RHA notes that it is working with the Department for Transport and power companies “on where investment in the electricity network is needed to power the alternatively fuelled vehicles of the future.”
Of coach-specific questions, the exercise asks participants when they plan to introduce electric coaches to their fleet and, if appropriate, to rank six reasons that prevent such investment in 2025. Among those are lack of infrastructure, lack of range, and cost.
Feedback on the viability of hydrogen-fuelled coaches is also sought, including relating to fuel availability and workforce training. Plans around adoption of low-carbon fuels additionally form part of the exercise gathering.
Participating operators are probed on various overarching factors around decarbonisation, including financial support, advice, regulations, and planning permission.
RHA Managing Director Richard Smith says that the trade body has “been clear that by reducing the costs of decarbonisation and ensuring that the required infrastructure is in place, our sector can prepare and fully play its part.”
Mr Smith adds that the net-zero survey is an important opportunity for businesses in the coach, HGV and van industries to have a say on the way ahead. “The insights from it will help us to best define what our sectors need on the road to net-zero,” he continues.
Contribute to the RHA survey here.
