| Sourced From Transportbriefing.co.uk |
Britain’s biggest bus and coach operators have warned the government that it risks missing key carbon reduction targets by failing to maximise the potential of buses and coaches to help tackle climate change.
The UK’s five biggest public transport groups last week joined forces to unveil The One Billion Challenge manifesto, part of The Greener Journeys campaign. The manifesto is intended to demonstrate that if people switch from car to bus or coach for one journey in 25 it would result in one billion fewer car journeys on UK roads over the next three years. The document recommends a series of policy initiatives to encourage modal shift that would deliver 50% more savings in transport CO2 emissions than currently planned under existing government policies.
In a joint call for action, bus and coach operators stressed that technological advances alone are not enough to achieve the carbon reductions required to tackle climate change and modal shift must be a key priority. Campaigners for Greener Journeys urged the government to set targets for local authorities to encourage modal shift; drive investment in low carbon buses; promote bus priority, park and ride and other measures to cut car commuting; and encourage bus travel to reduce school run traffic.
During the party conference season Greener Journeys will be lobbying government and other stakeholders to support the manifesto. Sir Rod Eddington – author of a government report into the long-term links between transport and the UK’s economic productivity, growth and stability (TB 3583) – said: “I welcome the Greener Journeys initiative which has the potential to play a major role in reducing CO2 emissions from transport. I urge the government at all levels to seize the Greener Journeys initiative and work with bus and coach operators towards a greener future.”
Simon Posner, chief executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, added: “The government cannot afford to ignore the massive potential of buses and coaches to deliver huge savings in CO2 from the transport sector, help protect our environment and oil the wheels of our economy. They run on existing infrastructure, provide real flexibility, are cost-effective and can deliver additional capacity very quickly. Government at all levels needs to act without delay to make the most of this opportunity.”
Greener Journeys is an initiative of the UK bus and coach industry, aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from transport by delivering unprecedented modal shift from the car. It is founded by the big five bus owning groups – Arriva, First Group, Go-Ahead, National Express and Stagecoach.
Related posts:
