Coach operators are being encouraged to write to their MPs to to seek government recognition of and mitigation for the elevated diesel prices that are currently blighting the industry.

A template letter setting out the scale of the difficulty and underlining the breadth of work carried out by the coach industry has been created on an independent basis by Managing Partner of Anthony’s Travel Richard Bamber.

He is offering that to other coach operators to add their own details to and send to MPs asking those elected representatives to raise the issue of diesel cost implications on coaches with the Department for Transport and the Treasury. Sought within the letter is an essential user rebate or equivalent mechanism for the coach industry.

Mr Bamber notes how the bus sector is receiving some support for diesel prices, through a Bus Service Operators Grant uplift payment in England and similar in Scotland via the Network Support Grant. Businesses operating eligible HGVs have seen vehicle excise duty reduced to £1, but he points out that coaches benefit from neither.

There remains a misconception that coaches are primarily concerned with holidays, days out, and leisure travel. That is simply not an accurate reflection of the modern coach industry,” the letter continues.

It observes that coaches convey more than 600,000 children to and from school per day and transport employees to work along with delivering movements for the armed forces, on school and college trips, and for businesses, sports teams and community organisations.

Other workstreams such as rail replacement and servicing major events are also highlighted, as is the coach industry’s economic contribution to the UK, which is measured in billions of pounds per annum.

Assisting bus and HGV operators shows that the government “has already accepted the principle that extraordinary fuel costs require intervention,” the letter states.

Download the template letter here:  https://www.route-one.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Coach_Industry_Letter_to_MP_Template.docx     

An accompanying social media graphic can be downloaded here:   https://www.route-one.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/UK_Coach_Industry_Fuel_Poster_2.10.pdf

Further information:

https://www.route-one.net/news/coach-operators-urged-to-contact-mps-to-highlight-diesel-cost-woes/