Private cars are, and will remain, an essential part of the transport system in the UK. They offer a valuable mobility option for the public and are still the best option for numerous journeys. Technological developments will ultimately open up new ways of using cars, for example, autonomous car sharing. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has obviously placed pressure on shared forms of transport, and this impact is likely to be felt for a while. Once it is safe
to do so, government should support car sharing schemes and make it easier for local authorities to operate them.
Buses and coaches play an important role in providing sustainable transport options and government must support the industry during this critical period, when public transport usage is down due to the pandemic. It should also support the bus sector to accelerate the transition towards zero emission vehicles in the medium to long term. The industry supports government competitions for all-electric and all-hydrogen bus towns and sees them as useful drivers for the technological developments required to decarbonise
these vehicle types.
