Cross-party MPs, including former Transport Minister and Chair of
the Bus and Coach Industry APPG, MP, have hand-delivered a letter to 10 Downing
Street calling on the Prime Minister to move faster on delivering
his pledge to order 4,000 UK-made zero-emissions buses.
The letter has been signed by a cross-party group of Officers
representing the Bus and Coach Industry All-Party Parliamentary
Group (APPG) – MP (Conservative), (SNP),
MP (DUP), and
(Labour).
It states: “[T]he UK has three world-leading bus
manufacturers who have all invested in R&D to develop
market-leading zero-emissions buses (ZEBs) and stand ready to
deliver on your Government’s commitment to introduce 4,000 ZEBS
by 2024/5. However, from our discussions with the manufacturers,
we understand there remains frustration by the slow progress that
is being made in turning Government words into bus production
orders.
“We therefore, on a cross-party basis, urge you and the
Chancellor to take any steps possible to increase the funding
allocation for the current financial year to allow further ZEBRA
bids to progress, and also ensure the funding available for the
2022/23 financial year is significantly bigger. Only a much
larger ZEBRA scheme next year will enable your Government to
deliver on the 4,000 British-built zero emission bus
pledge.”
, Conservative MP for Scarborough and Whitby, former
Transport Minister, and Chair of the APPG for the Bus and Coach
Industry, said:
“The Prime Minister made a pledge to deliver 4,000, British-made
zero-emissions buses by 2025. Whilst some progress has been made,
there is a long way still to go if this pledge is to be
delivered. The slower the progress, the longer air pollution will
remain high in our towns and cities, and fewer jobs are being
created by our UK bus manufacturers.
“The Bus and Coach Industry All-Party Parliamentary Group will
hold the Government to account on delivering its pledges to our
bus and coach manufacturers. As we look to build back better, and
greener, from the COVID crisis, zero-emissions buses and coaches
have a key role to play.
“With a Spending Review coming up, now is the time for the
Government to invest heavily in UK-made zero-emissions buses,
creating jobs across the UK, and building a greener future for
our bus network.”
/ENDS
Notes to editors
The full text of the letter is as follows:
Rt Hon MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AB
Dear Prime Minister,
As Officers of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Bus
and Coach Industry, we are writing to welcome ongoing support for
UK-made zero-emissions buses through the Zero Emission Bus
Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.
As you know, the UK has three world-leading bus manufacturers
who have all invested in R&D to develop market-leading
zero-emissions buses (ZEBs) and stand ready to deliver on your
Government’s commitment to introduce 4,000 ZEBS by
2024/5.
However, from our discussions with the manufacturers, we
understand there remains frustration by the slow progress that is
being made in turning Government words into bus production
orders.
We also understand that the current applications for the
ZEBRA scheme was significantly in excess of what the financial
year 2021/22 fund will allow for. This means that many local
authorities will not receive any support to decarbonise their bus
fleets, prolonging exposure of their community to higher levels
of air pollution, while UK manufacturers stand ready to build
these vehicles or risk having to cut jobs of talented green
collar team members.
We therefore, on a cross-party basis, urge you and the
Chancellor to take any steps possible to increase the funding
allocation for the current financial year to allow further ZEBRA
bids to progress, and also ensure the funding available for the
2022/23 financial year is significantly bigger. Only a much
larger ZEBRA scheme next year will enable your Government to
deliver on the 4,000 British-built zero emission bus
pledge.
To ensure progress is being made on this vital agenda,
connecting the communities in our constituencies, we would
welcome a meeting between representatives of our committee and
your adviser to discuss how we can accelerate the production of
zero emission buses.
Yours sincerely,
MP
MP
MP
