COVID-19 Latest News

CPT's Chief Executive, Graham Vidler, reacts to the announcement that the furlough scheme has been extended.

A CPT spokesperson said:

These welcome changes to the Job Support Scheme will help more coach operators than the previous scheme, which was of limited use. But we should not underestimate how badly the sector has been hit and for some thes…

CPT Chief Executive Graham Vidler responds to the National Audit Office report on Improving Local Buses Services in England.

Graham Vidler, CPT's Chief Executive, appeared before the Economic Affairs Committee yesterday alongside Andy Bagnall of Rail Delivery Group, Rt Hon Norman Baker of Campaign for Better Transport, and Robert Griggs of Airlines UK, to discuss…

The collapse of the coach travel sector this winter could wipe almost 10% off the value of UK tourism, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has warned.

To the editor

The decision by Carlyle to tell its employees to avoid public transport (Financial Times: Carlyle staff told to avoid public transport on London office return, 18 August) is not based on facts and fails to reflect the realiti…

Reacting to the announcement that there will be a multi-million-pound funding package for school transport, CPT’s Chief Executive Graham Vidler said:

Reacting to the announcement that bus funding has been extended, CPT’s Chief Executive Graham Vidler said:

Read CPT's reaction to the dropping of the avoid public transport message. 

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has launched a database to help unlock temporary and permanent work opportunities for employees across the bus and coach industry.

CPT reacts to Campaign for Better Transport report ‘Covid-19 Recovery Renewing the Transport System’

CPT Chief Executive Graham Vidler said: “Buses are central to delivering the Prime Minister’s New Deal by helping to connect people sustainably with new job and skill opportunities across the country."

Responding to the Government’s announcement today that the social distancing 2metre rule will be eased, Confederation of Passenger Transport Chief Executive Graham Vidler said:

Over 550 coach travel operators have written to the Chancellor warning that without urgent support many of their businesses will go under as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic costing thousands of jobs.

From CPT's chief executive, Graham Vidler: "Buses are already safe to use as operators have introduced enhanced cleaning regimes alongside other measures including restricting capacity, but making face coverings mandatory will give more pas…

Read CPT's reaction to the announcement of funding to help operators ramps up bus services 

Following the Prime Minister's Covid-19 update CPT has issued the following statement:

Today the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) is calling on the Government to provide a support package worth £65m each month for the coach tourism industry.

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) along with operators is today thanking everyone in the bus and coach industry for the work they are doing during the Covid-19 outbreak to keep key services running.

Trade associations representing thousands of tourist businesses, together with the Local Government Association, have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking him to urgently change civil servants’ interpretation of his Coronavirus…

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) is today launching ‘Back Britain’s Coaches’, a major initiative calling on the Government to provide support for the coach industry during the Covid-19 outbreak.

“Bus operators across the country are providing an essential service at a time of national emergency. This couldn’t be done without the thousands of drivers and other staff doing an incredible job to keep routes running and keeping them and…

The package, agreed jointly with the bus industry, will keep key routes running to provide a lifeline for those who cannot work from home, including those travelling to jobs on the frontline of the UK’s fight against Covid-19, such as NHS s…

Following discussions with CPT Scotland, Scottish Government policy leads have confirmed that the depots/offices of Coach Tour operators will be included in the definition of leisure sector, and operators should now be able to access fundin…

CPT Cymru, the bus industry representative body in Wales, has highlighted that further funding will be required or bus operators will be unable to deliver an emergency bus network across Wales during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Yesterday evening CPT’s Graham Vidler received a letter from Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, outlining steps the Government will take to support the bus and coach industry during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Ministers are being urged to get behind the industry now or risk the decimation of a national bus network that is getting critical sector employees to work during the current crisis and is central to communities and regional economies all y…

*This news article was originally published on the Transport Scotland website here

The Scottish Government will provide bus operators with additional financial assistance to maintain essential services. This is intended to offset the impac…

The bus industry is doing all it can to support the health and wellbeing of its customers, colleagues and the general public at this time of crisis.  We are playing our part in communicating the Government's public health advice to avoid un…

Confederation of Passenger Transport Chief Executive Graham Vidler reacts to the decision to close schools across the UK during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Ahead of the Chancellor’s announcement of further support for businesses affected by the Covid-19 outbreak bus and coach operators have called on the Government to provide emergency support to ensure networks continue to function and that t…