CPT highlights importance of bus
In response to a government report on high streets, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has highlighted the importance of buses to town centres.
The House of Commons Housing, Community & Local Government Select Committee published a report entitled “High Streets & Town Centres in 2030”. It concluded that high streets and town centres can have a better and more balanced future, but a shift is required. It envisages a change away from the retail focused activities of high streets and town centres today to new uses and purposes, which foster greater social interaction, community spirit and local identity and characteristics.
Responding to the report, CPT said: “The bus industry fully supports measures designed to encourage more visitors to our high streets but believes that offering free short-term car parking is counter to many of the arguments being advanced elsewhere in Government. Road congestion has a serious impact on the reliability and punctuality of bus services, and has a consequential adverse effect on local air quality. By working in partnership with local authorities to encourage the implementation of bus priority measures, reliability and punctuality improve thereby making local bus services a viable alternative to the private car. This is good for the local community, the environment and most importantly, the travelling public.
“It is also important to recognise that, on average, bus passengers spend more money per head in our high streets than those who arrive by car. CPT believes that by working with Government at all levels to encourage greater use of bus services, this most widely used form of public transport can continue to provide a lifeline for communities providing access to work, education, leisure activities and local facilities; and go a long way to support wider Government policies to improve the local environment, support communities, reduce social isolation and combat loneliness.”
The House of Commons Housing, Community & Local Government Select Committee report can be found here: https://goo.gl/YKvtMx
Not a helpful response from CPT. As usual. Fairly pointless in fact.
The industry keeps congratulating itself on one thing or another, but the truth is it is dying.
Fares are forever increasing, routes cancelled and yet margins going down.
Until the ENCTS formula is changed, nothing will improve. CPT are a waste of time and I’ve no idea why we’re still members.