November 22 2023
Following today's Autumn Statement, CPT has given its reaction to the Chancellor's announcement.
CPT’s CEO Graham Vidler said:
“The £2bn earmarked to support the manufacturing, supply chain and development of zero emission vehicles is potentially good news for the bus and coach sector. The government now needs to ensure a significant proportion of this funding is invested in delivering greater battery ranges for buses and coaches and a sustainable model for hydrogen fuel cells, to accelerate the bus and coach sectors’ transition to zero emission.”
The Chancellor’s announcement did however miss the chance to complete the National Bus Strategy, after the welcome funding for services in the North and Midlands last month.
Vidler added:
“It is a shame, though, that the Chancellor has not taken the opportunity today to replicate the recent investment for buses in the North and the Midlands across the rest of the country. Frequent, fast, reliable buses are required by millions of people every day to get to work, school, and access essential services. Communities in the South are at risk of being left behind without matched investment. This should not be a postcode lottery.”