CPT urges coach fuel duty relief

As fuel prices remain high in the UK, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has called on Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak to introduce a fuel duty relief package of £260m for coaches to place the sector on level footing with the rail industry.

In a letter to the Chancellor, CPT has asked for the fuel duty paid by coach operators on diesel to be reduced from 52.95p per litre to the 11.14p per litre paid by rail.

The letter outlines the need to support coach operators facing short term difficulties, with the growing number of services running at a loss threatening the viability of many vital services including home to school and rail replacement.

This support can help to ensure that coaches, as one of the greenest forms of transport, can in the long-term continue to connect communities and support essential services and tourism. Carbon dioxide emissions per passenger on coaches are around 1.5 times lower compared to rail travel.

“The impact of fuel price rises on operators must be minimised so they can continue to provide sustainable, reliable and vital services” – Alison Edwards, Head of Policy at CPT

Alison Edwards, Head of Policy at CPT, said: “Coaches are one of the greenest transport options and play a vital role in connecting people with education and employment as well as supporting tourism.

“The impact of fuel price rises on operators must be minimised so they can continue to provide sustainable, reliable and vital services.

“To do this, it is time that the anomaly of coach paying over ten times more in fuel duty than rail is corrected.”