Coach passengers spend £8.3bn per year in local economies – study

Coach passengers in Britain spend an estimated £8.3 billion a year in local economies, according to a study commissioned by an industry body.

Research for the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) found £5.4 billion of the spending is from domestic travellers at tourist destinations, with £610 million from international visitors.

Passengers using coaches to travel to shopping and leisure facilities spend £2.3 billion annually.

Every city, town and tourist destination must plan for coaches

CPT warned that much of the spending would not happen if the associated coach journeys became unavailable, particularly in locations such as Blackpool , Cornwall , Snowdonia, northern Scotland, the Lake District and the Peak District.

The study, conducted by financial services company KPMG, calculated that one daily coach to a destination can deliver £1 million in local economic value.

CPT chief executive Graham Vidler said: “To reap these benefits, every city, town and tourist destination must plan for coaches, so they offer adequate coach parking and good facilities for both passengers and coach drivers as part of their sustainable travel and tourism strategy.”

The value of coaches was found to be particularly pronounced in rural areas and places with less extensive rail connections.

Researchers found 54,000 people in Britain were directly employed in the provision of coach services in 2022, including drivers, mechanics, schedulers, operations managers, customer service representatives and those involved in corporate functions.