CPT launches campaign to save Britain’s coach industry

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) is calling on the Government to provide support for the coach industry during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The ‘Back Britain’s Coaches’ campaign aims to build on the successes CPT has had to date in securing support for the coach sector via business wide initiatives.

The campaign has two immediate aims:

• The publication of formal government guidance to support the Local Government Association’s view that coach operators should be considered leisure businesses, which would help them to access the COVID-19 business rates and grant schemes.
• Alongside ABTA securing an amendment to the Package Travel Regulations to allow coach operators longer than 14 days to process refunds and to issue refund credit notes as an alternative to cash refunds.

CPT said it would continue to work with coach operators to determine the amount of financial support needed to help the industry and make the case for coach specific support to government.

A resource centre and member toolkit added to the CPT website give members content to use to contact their local authority and elected representatives to access the support offered to leisure businesses, namely business rates relief and grants. CPT is also encouraging coach operators to provide information around the financial impact the outbreak has had on their business to help build the case for specific support for the coach sector.

CPT chief executive Graham Vidler said “At this hugely difficult time, CPT is working with members across the country to Back Britain’s Coaches. To help shape the campaign, CPT has worked with coach operators across the UK to find out what support they need during this crisis, and will work with Governments across the UK to secure support for the industry.

“Once the COVID-19 outbreak is over we will all need to work together to repair the damage done to our local economies. If we want to bring tourists back into our local areas, get people back in our theatres, shops, restaurants, cafes and bars, reinstate educational trips and help those who have been forced to spend a considerable length of time in isolation get back out and about, not to mention get people back to school and work, it is vital that coach businesses have the financial support to withstand the current crisis.”