Tring coach company support industry plans for Covid-19 recovery
'Backing British Coaches' want more support for the industry
The coaching industry has published a covid-19 recovery plan - and Tring company Masons Coaches is in full support.
Tring provides coach journeys in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, London and beyond.
Yesterday the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), put out their Covid-19 recovery plan for the industry.
The biggest part of their plan is for a £150million grant-based scheme to be created to support English and Welsh operators start up again. Similar schemes have already been created in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Another part of the recovery plan for the industry is to have Government backed campaigns to promote coach travel.
Masons Minibus and Coach Hire has previously shared its frustration at being left out of Government support packages.
Candice from the company says this plan is necessary to make sure the coach industry recovers:
"We are not getting the help from the government so we have to help ourselves.
"We sit right between the tourism department and the transport industry so that is probably why we have been missed out.
"But another difficult thing to deal with is that we are eligible for the Recovery Grants that have just been announced.
"So our recovery really is about getting back on the road and what I love about the CPT plan is that it highlights coach travel is one of the greenest ways to travel."
One coach can potentially take up to 50 cars off the road.
But with foreign holidays suspended Candice hopes that people will recognise the benefits of taking a coach for holidays throughout the UK:
"Coach travel really is one of the safest modes of transport this summer.
"So unlike public transport, we go from one location to another with one group of people.
"There is no changing and swapping that happens on trains or buses.
"And after every journey we deep clean ahead of the next trip."
The other part of the plan is for the Chancellor to extend repayment terms for Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans that he committed to in September 2020.
CPT Chief Executive Graham Vidler said:
"The coach industry has suffered as much as any other during the pandemic and has inexplicably been treated differently to other areas of the leisure and hospitality industry.
"We need to see coaches treated in line with other leisure and hospitality businesses and this must include a grant scheme to help operators get holidays up and running generating income for local economies across the UK.
"Without this, many operators will find it unviable to open their doors meaning attractions and places across the country will see less footfall placing jobs and businesses at risk."