The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and WPI Economics have published the Decarbonisation Dividend report, which highlights the benefits of shifting car journeys to coach and bus.
The report finds that switching one journey a month to coach or bus travel would save two million tons of CO2e emissions by 2030, and see health benefits “worth £14.9bn”, as well as a reduction in congestion “valued at £29.4bn”. A shift to two trips per month would see a reduction in 19.5 million tons of CO2e by 2050, the report adds.
Says Graham Vidler, CPT Chief Executive: “The report shows that small changes in the way we travel can create a big difference. To unlock these benefits, each of us needs to switch just one journey per month from car to bus by the end of this decade, two journeys per month by 2050. That’s it.
“The encouraging findings from the report and our consumer research demonstrate that the shift from cars to coaches and buses is necessary, desirable and, most importantly, possible.”
Additional research conducted by CPT alongside the report showed the barriers to bus use include “inconvenient routes, infrequent services, slow journey times and unreliability” as key factors. Half of respondents said they would be more likely to use the bus if services improved.
“Our findings show that around half of Brits want to have a more balanced mix between using their car and taking the coach or bus,” adds Mr Vidler. “With many parts of the country set to invest in speeding up journey times there’s a great opportunity for people to start shifting some of their journeys.
“Plus, getting more people on buses allows operators to invest in zero emission, increase network capacity and reduce fares resulting in a better service for Brits all round.”
The report has been backed by Head of Climate Policy at Green Alliance Helena Bennett. She says: “Coaches and buses are both critical forms of transport for millions of people across the country, so it’s encouraging to see their many benefits laid out so clearly in this report.
“Transport remains a thorn in the side of the decarbonisation agenda, and while technological advancements will accelerate a large proportion of the transition to net zero, we also need to think carefully about encouraging alternative, low carbon modes of transport.”
To view the full report, contact cpt@redbrickroad.com
