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We need you to back Britain’s coaches says CPT, as it encourages all operators to support campaign

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.

'Back Britain’s Coaches' will build on the successes CPT has had to date in securing support for the coach sector via business wide initiatives.

It will also be promoted with the hashtag #BackBritainsCoaches

Specifically it has two immediate aims:

• The publication of formal government guidance to support the Local Government Association’s view that coach operators should be considered leisure businesses, which would help them to access the Covid-19 business rates and grant schemes.
• Alongside ABTA securing an amendment to the Package Travel Regulations to allow coach operators longer than 14 days to process refunds and to issue refund credit notes as an alternative to cash refunds. 

CPT also continues to work with coach operators to determine the amount of financial support needed to help the industry and make the case for coach specific support to government.

It has created a resource centre and toolkit to the CPT website giving operators content to use to contact their local authority and elected representatives to access the support offered to leisure businesses, namely business rates relief and grants.

CPT is also encouraging coach operators to provide information around the financial impact the outbreak has had on their business to help build the case for specific support for the coach sector.

CPT CEO Graham Vidler says: “At this hugely difficult time, CPT is working with members across the country to 'Back Britain’s Coaches'.

"To help shape the campaign, CPT has worked with coach operators across the UK to find out what support they need during this crisis, and will work with Governments across the UK to secure support for the industry.

“Anyone who would like to find out more about the campaign and how they can support it can visit the resource centre on the CPT website, which includes social media graphics people can share on their social media accounts to raise awareness of the campaign.

"CPT members will also be able to find resources they can use to contact their local authority to access support that is already available.

“Once the Covid-19 outbreak is over we will all need to work together to repair the damage done to our local economies.

"If we want to bring tourists back into our local areas, get people back in our theatres, shops, restaurants, cafes and bars, reinstate educational trips and help those who have been forced to spend a considerable length of time in isolation get back out and about, not to mention get people back to school and work, it is vital that coach businesses have the financial support to withstand the current crisis,” concludes Mr Vidler.

The resource centre includes:

• A letter of support from CPT for you to include with your letter or email to your local authority regarding the Covid-19 leisure support package
• Six infographics (reproduced above) for you to make use of on your social media channels
• A copy of CPT Chief Executive Graham Vidler’s letter to Local Government Minister, Luke Hall MP, calling for the UK Government to update its guidance to include coach operators as leisure businesses for the purposes of COVID-19 support. 
• A template email or letter for you to send to your MP asking for their support in accessing the Covid-19 support packages for leisure businesses. Please personalise this template as much as possible.
• A letter that you can send to your local authority asking them to make available to your business the Covid-19 leisure support package. 
• A letter of support from CPT for you to include with your letter or email to your local authority regarding the Covid-19 leisure support package.
• A link to ABTA's 'Save Future Travel' campaign, for you to add your support to the tourism industry’s campaign, which CPT and Bonded Coach Holidays are a part of, to amend the Package Travel Regulations to allow refund credit notes.

Find out more and access the resource centre: https://tinyurl.com/back-britains-coaches