Air quality is still the policy agenda buzzword, and CPT President Ian Luckett says he will continue to bang the drum for the role that coaches and buses play in improving air quality
For the coach and bus sector, and the whole transport industry, air quality and the drive to reduce emissions is likely to dominate the policy agenda for some time. This will impact on the investment decisions we make, how and where we operate, and our future plans.
CPT is engaging with many different stakeholders, and as both CPT President and a coach operator I too am banging the drum to drive home the point that coaches and buses have a huge role to play in helping improve local air quality.
Getting people out of their cars is key, and good coach and bus services can help do just that. That message struck a nerve with the government, and it was pleasing to see the Air Quality Plan say very clearly that coaches and buses are part of the solution.
Reducing congestion is key
As operators we need to keep up the pressure on our elected representatives. Equally it is imperative that we get involved with our local authorities. They are the bodies who must come up with a local plan to reduce emissions in their area.
We all know that reducing congestion is the key to allowing our services to flow freely, and by working with our local authorities we can give them a ‘user perspective’ on where the pinch points are, and where priority measures could pay huge dividends on keeping our services moving.
Good enough for the mayor?
On the technical side of things there is a huge amount to do. In publishing its plan, the government gave notice that there would be further details soon on retrofitting, but in the meantime the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and Energy Saving Trust launched the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS).
CPT was heavily involved in the development of the scheme and I’m sure all operators welcome its introduction. This will enable the existing fleet of buses and coaches to be fitted with proven emission control solutions, independently validated to meet the standards set out by the Government’s CAZ framework.
We are promised that the scheme will provide the backbone of future retrofit funding. All we need to know now is whether it will be good enough for the Mayor of London.
Not quite so simple
Manufacturers have decided that the solution to improving emissions is with electric vehicles; no problem when you are operating vehicles in a known environment, on known routes with known operating distances.
It’s not quite so simple when you look at coaches with the diverse nature of their journeys. A hybrid coach has been developed and remains a test vehicle. This surely offers some scope for future development.
The days of the diesel engine may well be numbered, but in order to go fully electric there needs to be considerable investment in a comprehensive, nationwide network of reliable, high speed charging points. That will take some time – so the diesel engine will continue to play a role.
By the time I pen my next column, Coach & Bus UK will almost be upon us. I shall be at the NEC on 4-5 October, spending some time on the CPT stand. The routeone awards will take place on the Wednesday evening, when I hope to be taking home an award for Lucketts Travel.
