Buses are leading Britain's race to transport decarbonisation as
Europe's biggest market for the very greenest road passenger
vehicles. Introducing an ambitious timetable of support, however,
could mean the sector is the UK's first to arrive at Net Zero,
according to a new paper published today by the Society of Motor
Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Manufacturers have invested significantly in green bus innovation
with some 13 different zero emission models now available in the
UK. More than four in 10 new single and double deckers joining
British roads last year were either electric or
hydrogen,1 and the market could be fully decarbonised
as early as 2030 if all the right enablers are put in place. At
present, however, the benefits – from improved local air quality
and reduced noise pollution to a more enjoyable passenger
experience – are unevenly distributed.
Of all new ZEV buses registered last year, Greater London
accounted for almost half (46.8%), despite the city accounting
for fewer than one in six new bus registrations overall. While
government support has enabled some specific cities to invest,
uptake outside of the capital is far lower. The rest of England
outside of London took 30.3% of new ZEV buses, while Northern
Ireland received 3.3% – just slightly more than Wales, which
accounted for just 2.2%.
Scotland, meanwhile, has enjoyed robust levels of ZEV bus uptake,
accounting for 17.5% of all new ZEVs reaching the UK's road last
year.2 This is in part due to operators benefitting
from Scottish Zero Emission Bus funding, which is helping smaller
bus and coach operators of scheduled services, such as rural
community and home-to-school services, to
decarbonise.3 Equally, the national Zero Emission Bus
Regional Area (ZEBRA) fund has been instrumental in spurring
greater green uptake across the UK. However, the scheme's lengthy
grant application process and short-term application windows mean
only the biggest operators with the most resources are
successful.
Smaller and rural operators also face a tough challenge due to
often longer routes and lower ridership, despite the opportunity
of mass green mobility helping to boost passenger numbers in
semi-urban and rural areas by as much as 65%.4
SMMT's new position paper, Next Stop, Net Zero: The
Route To A Decarbonised UK Bus Market, sets out
the case for a clear timetable to put every region, operator,
driver and passenger on the journey to net zero. That timetable,
however, must be backed by long-term, accessible support for
fleets of all sizes in the form of incentives given the
particularly tight margins faced by bus operators since passenger
levels fell sharply in 2020.5 The challenge of
switching is made steeper – and the need for incentives even more
critical – by the higher upfront cost of these new zero emission
vehicles compared to their fossil-fuel powered predecessors.
Decarbonising buses also depends on infrastructure in depots, and
establishing the best locations for shared charging and
refuelling hubs, which will take time – so action must be taken
today. While Britain is Europe's biggest ZEV market, it needs a
strategy to deliver the necessary infrastructure and incentives
to help operators overcome the challenges to delivering a full
ZEV market. Success will mean everyone in every region can come
to enjoy the advantages of affordable, mass green mobility.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “With
the biggest zero emission market in Europe, Britain's bus
industry is in a strong position to become the first vehicle
sector to decarbonise. Reaching that destination, however,
requires a clear timetable and appropriately ambitious support.
Governments have played a vital role in driving uptake through
grant funding, and every region should be supported so that all
passengers can enjoy the advantages of going green. Only then
will the full benefits of sustainable public transport be
realised nationwide, a necessary part of our task to deliver net
zero road transport.”
