Making the switch to bus and coach – a low cost, low carbon solution to the UK’s transport challenges

In the fight against climate change, transport is one of the toughest challenges. It’s the only sector where CO2 emissions are still rising, and it accounts for more than a fifth of UK emissions. Nearly 60% of these emissions are from cars, with no sign of abating. Car traffic is 87% greater than in 1980 and still rising, making the UK the most car dependent country in Europe. Purely in terms of the congestion this causes, the cost to the UK is £11 billion in GDP each year.

Government policy to reduce CO2 from transport has to-date been mainly focussed on technology and innovation, but the benefits of this will only be felt in the long-term and will do nothing to tackle congestion. We need a step change, and something that can really make a difference in the shorter term is behaviour change – in particular encouraging a switch from the car to lower carbon forms of transport like bus and coach, walking and cycling.

Greener Journeys sets out to help people reduce the carbon impact of their travel choices by recommending that they just make a small change, such as one commute by bus or coach every month. These small changes can have a big impact. In our ‘One Billion Challenge’ we estimate that switching from car to bus or coach for just one journey in 25 could save 2 million tonnes of CO2 and would mean one billion fewer car journeys on our roads by 2014. This would deliver an additional 50% reduction in CO2 from domestic transport to the reductions planned by current Government policies over the same period.

It’s not a big ask, but would bring real and immediate benefits both in terms of reducing CO2 and in terms of economic growth – tackling congestion, supporting vital services and creating jobs. What’s more, evidence shows that once people start using bus and coach they are very satisfied with the experience – customer satisfaction levels are extraordinarily high at 89%. We could very quickly see a virtuous circle created, whereby both existing and new passengers would choose to travel more often by bus or coach instead of car.

We also know that increasing numbers of motorists are finding the experience increasingly stressful. Recent research has shown that bus travel is a third less stressful than travelling by car. Surveys also show that people rank taking public transport as second only to recycling as the main thing they can do to ‘do their bit’ for the environment. A fifth would prefer to reduce their car use and a further fifth already have and would make further reductions if travelling by public transport was made easier.

This autumn, Greener Journeys launched the first ever national consumer marketing campaign to persuade people to get out of cars and onto buses. Our goal is to help people identify the specific journeys where taking the bus would make better sense. Using the slogan ‘Sometimes you can’t beat the bus’ a number of initiatives have been designed to promote behaviour change including a giveaway of a million free bus tickets, a major national PR campaign and local campaigns in Exeter, Milton Keynes and Norwich. We are also building partnerships with some of the nation’s best known businesses to promote bus travel to their customers and employees. The learning of this work will be closely monitored and learning from it will be used to inform more ambitious activity in 2011 and beyond.

To assist our campaign, we are working with Government and local authorities to accelerate the adoption of range of pro-bus policies which will make it easier for people to make sustainable transport choices. Government spending on buses is very low compared to other transport initiatives and delivers an excellent cost benefit ratio. Bus lanes are a particularly effective measure, and involve little more than yellow paint. Other measures include: wider roll out of smarter choices; more priority measures for buses and coaches; support for park and ride schemes; better integration of transport policy with land use planning; fiscal measures to encourage bus travel, and fairer tax treatment for bus passengers.

Buses are also a crucial mode of transport for people on lower incomes, many of whom do not have access to a car. Buses still pay an element of tax on the fuel they use and Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) goes some way to helping offset this tax. It is crucial BSOG is retained or local bus services will be put at risk and fares will rise. Greener Journeys is also calling on Government to allow bus season tickets and travel cards to be paid for out of people’s pre-tax income, and to encourage salary sacrifice schemes.

The stark facts of climate change mean that a more sustainable future will have to involve more intelligent car use. While progress in technology and innovation will be essential, these benefits will only be felt in the long-term. In the short term there are real benefits to be achieved through encouraging people to switch some of their car journeys. Moreover, transport is central to our daily lives and making more sustainable choices is crucial not only if we are to tackle climate change, but also to address the challenges of economic growth, health and congestion.

We believe that the Greener Journeys initiative demonstrates a very clear ‘win win’. Our ‘One Billion Challenge’ is just the beginning – with the widespread application of policies conducive to bus and coach travel we could go much further, and take billions more car journeys off our roads, making a huge contribution to delivering on the Government’s carbon reduction targets.

Some recent ‘green transport’ news

Green award for Arriva

Bus company Arriva, which operates services out of and around Whitby, UK, has received an award for reducing its carbon footprint. Arriva’s UK Bus Division has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for addressing climate change by reducing its carbon emissions by 4% over the past three years, which is equivalent to almost 20 thousand tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The total fuel saving has been achieved through investment in fleet modernisation, bio-fuels and the EcoManager driver aid system, which is a dashboard-mounted LED which runs from green through amber to red depending on the level of fuel consumption, which is reduced by smooth driving.

The Carbon Trust Standard is the world’s first award that recognises organisations for real carbon reduction. Based on a rigorous, independent assessment, it certifies that organisations have measured, managed and reduced their carbon emissions across their own operations, and are committed to reducing them year-onyear. Organisations hold the award for a two year period and to maintain it they must reapply and demonstrate they have continued to make year-on-year reductions in their carbon emissions.

Trial of greener buses in York

Greener buses are to be trialled in York, UK, as part of a drive to improve the city’s air quality. The low-emission vehicles will be tested out on the Park&Ride route linking the city centre with York Designer Outlet over a six-month period from the start of December 2010, with passengers being asked to let City of York Council know what they think.

The trial will see different types of buses, including electric vehicles which can be charged in six hours and hybrid vehicles which use energy generated as they brake to charge a motor. Bus operator First York has teamed up with the council to run the initiative.

The results of the trial will also be fed into Fulford’s Air Quality Action Plan as the buses will pass through the area.

For more recent news and further information about Greener Journeys, please visit www.greenerjourneys.com.

About the Author

Claire Haigh

Claire Haigh became involved in the Greener Journeys initiative as the result of her work on previous national industry projects. Her most relevant previous role was as Project Director of Journey Solutions, where she saw the creation, implementation and rollout of PLUSBUS – the national integrated bus/rail ticket. Before that she worked as Project Manager on Traveline. Before she began her career in transport, she read History and German at Magdalen College Oxford, worked for a period in advertising, and built up a career as an artist. She has had a number of solo exhibitions in London, including at the prestigious Mall Galleries, and has completed many portrait commissions, including well known transport figures Peter Hendy, Tim O’Toole and Ken Livingston.