Research reveals Stagecoach supports more than £1.6 bn to UK economy

Local authorities across Britain are being urged to ‘maximise the power of the bus’ to benefit communities as new research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) has shown that Stagecoach supports more than £1.6 billion a year in value to the UK economy.

The report is said to have demonstrated the wider benefits and financial savings that Stagecoach transport services deliver by reducing congestion, making the nation more active, protecting the environment and supporting safer communities.

Stagecoach Chief Executive, Martin Griffiths, said: “We’re proud to have kept Britain connected for the past 40 years and this new report shows the huge positive impact of our transport services to the economy and our communities.

“As regions across the country face up to the challenges of congested roads, declining air quality, ill-health and pressure on our high streets, it is vital that local authorities maximise the power of the bus to deliver safer, healthier and more prosperous places for people to live.”

Cebr analysis has also shown that people using Stagecoach buses rather than cars helps avoid millions of pounds of wasted resources every year, with the savings able to be invested in better public services, such as:

• Safer communities: £44.2 million saved in costs associated with road traffic accidents such as loss of earnings, medical costs, emergency services and damage to vehicles, which could fund more than 750 extra salaried GPs
• Healthier communities: £13.3 million saved in healthcare costs, which is the equivalent to the costs of over 83,000 people being seen in A&E
• Cleaner communities: £12.4 million saved in emissions costs, which could power 9,800 homes for a year
• More mobile communities: £343 million in potential congestion-related savings from a reduction of 22 billion miles of traffic. Each double decker bus can take more than 70 cars off the road.

The analysis by Cebr also revealed the contribution that Stagecoach services are making in regions across the UK, including:

• In the North West, Stagecoach supports nearly 4,500 direct jobs and a further 1,500 jobs through the supply chain. For every £1 in direct GVA contributions, an additional 61p is pumped into the wider regional economy
• In Scotland, Stagecoach supports £198 million in aggregate GVA through its direct and indirect impact
• In London, it is estimated that without Stagecoach buses total road mileage by other vehicles would increase by up to 2.7 per cent
• In the South East, Stagecoach supports £197 million in aggregate GVA
• In Wales, Stagecoach supports a total of more than 1,100 jobs and contributes an aggregate £43 million to the country’s economy.

From spring 2020, Stagecoach will deliver the first vehicles as part of a £13 million investment in what is one of the biggest orders of new electric buses in Europe. A total of nearly 50 new e-buses will be introduced in Greater Manchester and Caerphilly, South Wales and by the end of 2020, Stagecoach will have more electric vehicles than any other major UK bus operator.