By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
routeonerouteonerouteone
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Search
© 2024 routeone News. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Panel discusses strategy for coach tourism in 2023
Share
Font ResizerAa
routeonerouteone
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd
- Advertisement -
-
routeone > Coach > Panel discusses strategy for coach tourism in 2023
CoachNewsOperatorsTop Story

Panel discusses strategy for coach tourism in 2023

Alex Crawford
Alex Crawford
Published: April 4, 2023
Share
SHARE

Coach industry veteran Steve Whiteway, Product Manager at Acklams Coaches Louise Webster and CPT’s Coaching Manager Phil Smith discussed good practice for the coach friendly city amid the return of coach tourism, and the role of coach in local transport and tourism strategies – including the issue of zero-emission targets – at the CPT Annual Conference on 30 March.

Ms Webster opened the discussion by highlighting the ongoing challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. She revealed that work to recover coach tourism is very much reliant on good relationships with destinations, and that the pandemic has helped to highlight those sites that have put coach tourism at the forefront of their strategies. But she also highlighted that providing affordable coach holidays and daytrips is becoming much harder, and within cities, issues of reduced coach parking in many areas are proving a barrier to overcome.

Mr Smith expressed a desire for recognition on the parts of local passenger transport authorities to recognise coaches as part of the local public transport mix as “congestion busters and clean air enablers”. He highlighted the challenges of ensuring coaches comply with emission control zones, while Mr Whiteway warned that as the prevalence of battery-electric buses and cars increases, there is a risk that diesel coaches could risk looking “more like the dirty polluter” by comparison. Mr Whiteway further warned that “there isn’t an alternative for any length of time,” and that he “can see there being some anti about coach” until an alternative like hydrogen provides a solution.

Mr Smith believes this issue comes back to recognition, and to local leaders and local authorities that implement emission control zones being conscious of the economic and environmental contribution that coaches make to their areas. “There is probably an education process to go through about Euro VI,” he says. “Where our bus colleagues have been very successful with zero-emission buses, that could actually create tunnel vision… there’s a whole dialogue around highlighting the benefits of the cleanest coaches which arrive into low emission zones where they exist, and making sure the political leaders in those local authorities are fully aware of that difference.”

Agreeing that coach strategies are “essential” for future growth, he caveated that coach activity needs to be considered in local transport plans (LTPs) first, because too many “have scant regard for coaches”. He calls for a “pseudo statutory footing” in LTPs, and once that goal is achieved, coaching strategies can be fed in.

“Where authorities have responsibility for LTPs, not all of them have a tourism focus,” he adds. “There is some siphoning and staging to be done there in as much as we need to focus on cities – all the English regional metropolitan passenger transport authorities have at least one regional centre where they’re trying to attract weekend tourism, corporate events and everything else that that bring coach trade in. Outside of those regional centres, at coastal resorts and towns and cities of historic interest, they probably need to be the next stage focus. But that’s not prescriptive.”

TAGGED:AcklamsCoachcoach friendly cityDestinationseuro VIlow emission zones
Share This Article
Facebook LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
ByAlex Crawford
Journalist, routeone
Previous Article vocal lothian bus Lothian gets VOCAL in support of charity
Next Article CAVForth passenger carrying service to start on 15 May CAVForth autonomous service to commence on 15 May
- Advertisement -

Latest News

Temsa HD12 and HD13 delivered to Cresta Coaches under Asset Alliance rental deal
Temsa pair join Cresta Coaches on Asset Alliance rental agreement
Deliveries
Go-Ahead London – Managing Director
Careers Jobs
andy burnham tfgm £15.6 billion (1) The funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today (4 June) has been allocated to several combined mayoral authorities to use on rail, tram, road and bus infrastructure. Transport for Greater Manchester revealed today that part of the £2.5 billion it will receive will go towards making the Bee Network fully battery-electric by 2030. An as-yet undecided portion of that will support a planned investment in 1,000 new zero-emission buses over that period, the mayoral authority said. That is part of plans to build the UK's "first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system", with trams and trains also set to benefit. Liverpool City Region's already announced BRT system is among the projects to which its £1.6 billion will be allocated. Under those plans - due for realisation by 2028 - a high-speed network will be served by articulated buses which are modelled on the 'Glider' in Belfast. It is due to link Liverpool city centre with John Lennon Airport, and Liverpool FC and Everton FC's respective stadia along three routes. Although the model of bus has not been confirmed, a Van Hool Exqui.City on loan from Belfast was last year used as a demonstrator. That 18m vehicle can accommodate around 30% more passengers than a typical bus and has three sets of double doors. The funding will also go towards buses elsewhere in the city as the region heads towards franchising services by 2027. Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram with a 'Glider' which was on loan from Belfast last year - an example of the sort of bus which could serve the new BRT Bus services in the East Midlands region will be boosted by the funding, thanks to the £2 billion handed to it today by the government. Some of that allocation will be used for a rapid transit network on the Trent Arc between Nottingham and Derby. Between the two cities, the Freeport, Infinity Park Investment Zone and Ratcliffe-on-Soar will also benefit from the improved bus services. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's newly announced commitment towards bus franchising has been boosted by £350 million in funding as part of that region's allocation. The funding for West Yorkshire will help build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Likewise, the Tees Valley Mayoral Authority will put its sum towards a new £15 million bus station in Middlesbrough. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says: "Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. "For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off."
TfGM’s all-electric bus plan boosted by new £15.6 billion package
News
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Bus
- Advertisement -
-

routeone magazine is the indispensable resource for professional UK coach, bus and minibus operators. The home of vehicle sales and the latest bus and coach job vacancies, routeone connects professional PCV operators with complete and unrivalled news coverage.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Policy
  • Sustainability
  • Advertise
  • Latest Issue
  • Share Your News
routeonerouteone
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd