November 25 2020
Reacting to the Spending Review 2020, CPT’s Chief Executive Graham Vidler said:
“The £300m announced today to transform bus services is a welcome first step in delivering a passenger led recovery from the pandemic but falls short of what is needed by the country’s most used form of public transport. Buses can play a vital role in delivering a green recovery but today’s investment is in stark contrast to the record levels of investment in our road and rail networks.
“Bus will be central to the country’s economic recovery and delivering on vital environmental goals. Further investment in the short term, on top of some of today’s longer term commitments, will be required to enable it to play its full part.”
Continuing, Graham commented on what the announcement means for coach:
"Today's record investment in roads and rail does nothing to help the coach industry recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Coaches contributed 10% of the value of UK tourism in 2019 , get 600,000 children to school each day and provide environmentally friendly transport to millions each year. All of this is being placed at risk by the failure of the Government to help this important, family run, sector."