National Coach Week 2025 will be held between 12 and 18 May with an aim of highlighting what the industry does and the contribution it makes while at the same time pushing it further up the political agenda, organiser RHA has said.
An overarching theme will be encouragement of all stakeholders to share their National Coach Week stories on social media with the hashtag #NationalCoachWeek. Those parties will include customers, staff, operators, suppliers and politicians.
Choice of a busy week in the industry calendar is deliberate and is to maximise exposure, says RHA Operations Manager – Coach Sector Andy Warrender. He notes that tour work will be at full stretch then and how the FA Cup Final will be played on Saturday 17 May.
“A lot is going on with coaches at that time of year, which will help in getting as many people onboard as possible to highlight the importance of the industry,” he continues.
Events are planned to coincide with National Coach Week 2025, with more details to follow. RHA is encouraging operators to carry out their own work with stakeholders and its Regional Managers are supporting coach members in those efforts.
Mr Warrender adds that National Coach Week is something for all in the industry to back. “It is to promote the sector as a whole, not individual businesses or organisations,” he notes.
2025 will be the fourth National Coach Week after launch in 2022. Operator engagement has been pleasing since the start and RHA is confident that will continue this year.
In parallel with National Coach Week, although not expected to be held concurrently, will be a parliamentary round table. Engaging with politicians to build the sector’s prominence is another key aim and Mr Warrender says that meeting will give operators the opportunity to raise topics as they see fit.
RHA has already gained political buy-in to the session, with more details in due course. “It will be an opportunity to highlight matters relevant to our industry – PSVAR, decarbonisation, the EU Entry/Exit System, and other items as appropriate,” he continues.
Social media visibility is central to National Coach Week, however. RHA has released an asset pack on its website to help that, and it will also publish a refreshed coach policy document to reflect changes over the past year.
Since launch of National Coach Week in 2022, the trade body has been pleased with the political traction achieved. “It has gained engagement with politicians that we otherwise would not have had,” Mr Warrender explains.
He points to how National Coach Week has evolved as an indicator of the industry’s general direction. In the launch year, an Irizar integral coach was supplied by dealership Irizar UK and wrapped in a scheme to promote the week.
“Now we cannot source a vehicle because they are in such high demand,” RHA’s coaching chief notes. “That illustrates how the industry has recovered, with 2022 having been a turning point in that work.”
RHA Coaches Chair Richard Bamber, who is also Managing Partner of Runcorn operator Anthony’s Travel, has similarly encouraged the sector to throw its weight behind National Coach Week.
“One of the only positives from the pandemic was that the coach industry gained more political and media exposure, awareness and engagement than ever before,” says Mr Bamber.
“Perhaps we had the benefit of time coupled to desperation, but for an often-unheralded industry, operators took things into their own hands and helped to shine the spotlight on the sector.
“It is imperative that we do not let that light dim and that we continue to educate, promote and celebrate the role the coach industry plays in keeping the country moving.
“While spearheaded by RHA, National Coach Week is open to all who have a genuine interest in the coach sector and care about its future.
“I sincerely encourage all operators to use their social media platforms and positions within their communities to get behind National Coach Week and help to keep the light shining brightly upon the industry that we are the current custodians of.”
