Recommendations & Conclusions
8 items
8
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted in Part
The Government made various commitments in the National Bus Strategy that we welcomed, as did many in the bus sector. It said it would provide new guidance on socially and economically necessary services and on bus franchising. It also suggested it would consider introducing a statutory requirement on local authorities …
Government response. The Government plans to publish new guidance on SENS during this Parliament and will consider statutorily requiring the provision of socially and economically necessary bus services if objectives are not achieved by agreement; revised franchising guidance will be published as …
Department for Transport
9
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted in Part
We welcome the Government’s plans to phase out non-zero-emission buses. It will be expensive and, in the short-term at least, difficult on longer and more rural routes, but it is necessary. However, we note that decarbonising buses will only take the Government so far towards its objective. Wider transport decarbonisation …
Government response. The government partially accepts the recommendation, noting it consulted on an end date for non-zero emission buses in Spring 2022 and will shortly make an announcement, including the UK’s roadmap to achieving an entirely ZEB fleet but does not at …
Department for Transport
10
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted in Part
We support the Government’s ambition to have 4,000 new zero-emission buses on the road in the UK by the end of this Parliament and welcome the funding it has allocated to meet this aim. However, it seems increasingly unlikely it will meet its target, given how few of these vehicles …
Government response. The government will announce an end date for the sale of new non-zero emission buses and publish the consultation response; it will also set out the UK’s roadmap to achieving an entirely ZEB fleet, and outlines existing funding and schemes …
Department for Transport
11
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted in Part
If the Government is to meet its target it will need to intervene in the process more actively. We note that Scotland’s scheme in which operators bid for funding centrally, thereby cutting out the middleman, has allowed Scotland to power ahead with its 42 Implementation of the National Bus Strategy …
Government response. The government will announce an end date for the sale of new non-zero emission buses and publish the consultation response; it will also set out the UK’s roadmap to achieving an entirely ZEB fleet, and outlines existing funding and schemes …
Department for Transport
12
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted in Part
We are not convinced by the Government’s argument that incentivising the purchase of a zero-emission buses will no longer be necessary once their lifetime cost decreases to that of comparable diesel buses. The up-front cost of ZEBs will remain higher, especially when the cost of upgrading and replacing infrastructure is …
Government response. The government will announce an end date for the sale of new non-zero emission buses, publish the consultation response, and set out the UK's roadmap to achieving an entirely ZEB fleet; they also highlight the funding already awarded for ZEBs. …
Department for Transport
13
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted in Part
The Government should set out a clear, staged plan for the full transition to zero- emission buses, in tandem with the delayed response to its consultation on ending the sale of non-zero-emission buses. This should include a clear long-term funding plan focussed in particular on difficult to decarbonise rural routes …
Government response. The government will announce an end date for the sale of new non-zero emission buses and publish the consultation response; it will also set out the UK’s roadmap to achieving an entirely ZEB fleet, but it rejects further consideration of …
Department for Transport
14
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted in Part
Reforming the Bus Services Operators Grant will be complicated and may prove controversial, but it is necessary. Successive Governments have accepted that, and promised to act, but little progress has been made. Further delay risks slowing the transition to zero-emission buses. A new formula could and should accelerate it. Enough …
Government response. The government has introduced a 22p per km rate for ZEBs through BSOG and is working on proposals for a consultation on reforming the Bus Service Operator Grant (BSOG) to modernize and future-proof the grant; the consultation will include a …
Department for Transport
15
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Implementation of the N…
Accepted in Part
The Government must consult on Bus Services Operators Grant reform now and proceed as quickly as is feasible to introduce a new funding formula which incentivises operators to transition to zero-emission buses. (Paragraph 110) Conclusion
Government response. The government has introduced a 22p per km rate for ZEBs through BSOG and is working on proposals for a consultation on reforming the Bus Service Operator Grant (BSOG) to modernize and future-proof the grant; the consultation will include a …
Department for Transport