A further £600 million in annual spending on bus services could transform local services and massively boost the UK economy, says the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) in its submission of proposals to the government’s Spending Review.
CPT has outlined a “bold”, three-pronged package of measures involving investment in service mileage, bus priority and zero-emission vehicles.
The body thus calls for more than a continuation of the £750 million it says the UK government injects into bus services annually.
An extra £205 million per year for services would see buses travel 36 million more miles each year, says CPT. It adds that this would lead to £500 million in economic benefits directly to passengers, as well as in reducing congestion, increasing high street spending and granting employers access to a wider pool of people from which to recruit.
A further £200 million in bus priority infrastructure to speed us buses would generate another £1 billion per year, it adds. The benefits include encouraging millions of additional passenger journeys, reducing the long-term need for support from public funding.
Finally, CPT calls for £200 million investment in zer0-emission buses in order to release £500 million of private-sector investment annually and help meet environmental targets.
Alison Edwards, Director of Policy and External Relations at CPT, says: “Buses are a vital driver of growth, connecting communities to opportunity and delivering major economic and environmental benefits.
“With targeted investment, we can unlock a stronger, greener, and more inclusive future. A bold commitment from the government will create better buses for everyone, with lasting benefits for passengers, businesses, and the wider economy.”
The Spending Review, due to be published in June, has been highlighted by leading industry figures as being crucial to the future of bus services over the current parliament.
CPT CEO Graham Vidler described Chancellor Rachel Reeves as “the most important politician for our industry this year” as she lays out spending for the coming years, including for local authorities, the Department for Transport and bus services.
Those thoughts were echoed by David Leeder, Transport Investment Limited Director and former First Group UK Bus Division Managing Director, at the CPT Conference last month.
