FIRSTGROUP RESPONDS TO GREEN TREND BY PLACING BIGGEST BUS ORDER EVER

More people are ready to use public transport because of their growing concerns about the environment, a new YouGov poll for FirstGroup suggests.  This is likely to see a major shift in passenger numbers on trains and buses in the next decade, as people leave their cars at home.  In response to this growing demand FirstGroup today announced it is to buy over 700 new buses - an investment of over £100 million - First’s and the industry’s biggest order ever.

The poll – the first in FirstGroup’s newly-established tracker poll on attitudes to the environment and public transport – showed that half of British people are becoming more concerned about environmental issues, compared to just 5 per cent who said they were becoming less concerned.  Of the majority who were more anxious about the state of the planet, 61 per cent said that they were considering switching some or all of their car journeys to public transport or had already done so.  

The poll findings suggest that the UK is likely to see a major increase in demand for buses and trains over the next decade.  There is clearly, too, room for a big increase in passenger numbers. Nationally only 10 per cent of people said they used public transport every day with this percentage jumping to 39 per cent in inner city and urban areas, the poll found.  

It also revealed overwhelmingly support (79%) for more Government investment in public transport. Added to this, nearly half of those polled also said they would like to see a public information campaign to explain how people can reduce their impact on the planet whilst travelling. These were the most popular answers that would compel people to become more environmentally focused when considering their transport needs.

Responding to the poll, Moir Lockhead, CEO of FirstGroup, said: “What is clear is that public concern about our environment is growing and people believe using public transport more regularly is a way of making their everyday lives greener.  We have already seen a rise in passenger numbers on both bus and rail in recent months and expect this increase to continue over the next decade.  The challenge is to offer more people an attractive alternative to travelling by car and to make these journeys as environment-friendly as possible.

“FirstGroup is determined to rise to the challenges. Through greener buses and trains, and changes in the way we work, we have committed ourselves to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20% from our trains and 25% from our buses by 2020”.

Nicola Shaw, Managing Director of First UK Bus, said: “It is interesting to learn that attitudes towards the environment and public transport continue to change and that the concern about the environment grows. I hope that our investment will meet the needs of our existing passengers and encourage car users, in particular, to change their travel habits; all of which will seriously reduce congestion throughout our towns and cities and help alleviate the damaging effects of carbon emissions.”

Mr. Lockhead added:  “We will be running regular surveys so we can really understand how attitudes to the environment and public transport evolve.  We want to make sure we are responding to our customers’ desire to make their lives greener.”