Bus companies across Scotland are getting together to set out a Vision for 2030 for Bus highlighting the importance of buses in tackling the climate emergency.
Bus is often overlooked as part of the solution to tackling the Climate Emergency. Yet bus has an important role to play, especially in Scotland: to reduce emissions, improve lives and places. Bus is key to a vision for net-zero Scotland that includes everyone.
Scotland makes buses, providing the world with leading technology and clean, green buses. It is also home to the headquarters of global bus operators and is well placed to demonstrate to the world how bus can be part of the solution.
The bus industry is critical to Scotland whether tackling emissions, improving public health, equalities, efficiencies, creating jobs and strengthening the economy.
Around the world, 27 cities have committed to zero emissions buses by 2025; some nations are investing massively in buses in order to meet ambitions to reduce emissions and achieve modal shift.
Yet, transport emissions in Scotland have not reduced but instead are growing, with air and road traffic being the biggest contributors to the problem. The private car is the
largest source of all our emissions in the transport sector.
Buses can be part of the solution. Leadership with decarbonisation and modal shift from private cars to sustainable transport, like buses, is urgently needed.
Bus companies, manufacturers and operators, from across Scotland are getting together to set out a Vision for 2030 and the pathway to ensure it happens.
The Forum will hold its first full meeting in February at international bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Ltd, the work will conclude in April to set out the Vision.
Host of the preliminary meeting in Glasgow, where international climate negotiations will be held in November, Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director, First Bus (Scotland) said;
“First Bus are proud to be part of the One Bus Forum and the 2030 vision campaign to help show bus as a solution as we aim toward a net zero carbon future. We have been key partners in the rollout of Scotland’s first Low Emission Zone in Glasgow and we are now 40% compliant on routes operating through the city. “We have invested heavily in the areas we operate with new technology, new fleet investment and new innovations all aimed at helping encourage modal shift, speeding up journeys and improving on air quality at the same time.
“In Aberdeen, we are leading the way in partnership with Aberdeen City Council with the roll out of the world’s first zero emission Hydrogen powered double deckers later this year, while we have just launched the first fully electric buses on to a commercial route in Glasgow since the 1960s. We will continue to work with our partners and stakeholders to fund projects that can accelerate this process and help us reach our goals as well as aiding plans for net zero carbon emissions by 2030.”
Sam Greer, Regional Director for Stagecoach:
"We are proud to connect communities across Scotland and lead the way in transitioning to a cleaner public transport future. Over the past decade across the UK, Stagecoach has invested more than £1 billion in new greener vehicles and by the end of 2020 will have one of the biggest electric bus fleets in Europe. The biggest opportunity to tackle the climate emergency and deliver cleaner air comes from incentivising people to switch from the car to more sustainable public transport and active travel.
Combined with the multi-million-pound investments we are making in greener buses, smart technology, and better journeys, it is crucial there is action to tackle road congestion and deliver more priority for buses. We look forward to working with Transform Scotland, manufacturers, operators and our partners in government to maximise the power of the bus to benefit the country.”
Richard Hall, Lothian’s Managing Director and Chair of CPT Scotland said:
“We are delighted to be working with Transform Scotland, key manufacturers and other bus operators across Scotland to set out a Vision for bus for 2030. At Lothian we continue to invest heavily in new greener, cleaner buses providing environmentally sustainable and best value travel solutions for our customers. Across the last few years we have removed almost 15,000 tonnes of CO2 from our carbon footprint and are continuing to make significant strides in our environmental journey. This exciting project will help shape a strategic vision for bus which will ensure we are all playing our part to reduce emissions and achieve critical modal shift across Scotland.”
Keith Watson, Customer Development Director, Alexander Dennis Ltd said;
“Buses are essential in tackling the climate emergency. Our partners in the Scottish bus operating industry are ideally placed to play this important role and we are delighted to be joining them in Vision 2030:Bus to support decarbonisation and modal shift from private cars to sustainable transport.”
Christine McGlasson, Managing Director for Xplore Dundee said:
“We take very seriously our role in Dundee and the wider world in reducing pollution, improving air quality and creating a better future for our country and its citizens. We firmly believe in bus as the solution to pollution and we’re proud to play a part in shaping this vision for our industry and its ambition to help tackle the climate emergency.”
Ross Prentice, Managing Director, Prentice Coaches Ltd said;
"We fully support this great initiative, buses can play a vital part in reducing emissions and improving air quality along with modal shift and combating social isolation."