Minister addresses EBE2024

This was the opening statement in an enthusiastic address to Euro Bus Expo 2024 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood MP but appears to have included the only specific reference in it to coach.

There was, however, little if anything new from the minister who emphasised the Government was investing £1bn this year to help local authorities deliver affordable buses, this funding covering BSOG, the £3 fare cap and Bus Service Improvement Programmes. He saw the need for the industry to become cleaner and greener as paramount in driving bus use forward and spoke positively of the planned Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel and the franchised Bee Network in Manchester. In the current parliament, he said the Government would deliver the Buses Bill which will give local leaders the powers to deliver better services, noting later that it will not be “a one size fits all’ approach.

Collaboration was mentioned in the context of sharing insights and ideas but there was no clear message on the outside enablers of better bus and coach services such as reducing congestion, providing customer facilities or expanding the electricity distribution network to meet the needs of zero tailpipe emission vehicles.