Easington MP Grahame Morris has warned British tourism will fail to rebound following Covid 19 if the government allow the coach industry to collapse.

The Confederation of Passenger Transport Back Britain’s Coaches campaign is calling for sector-specific support for the industry. Covid 19 has caused severe financial difficulties for coach operators, which has become more acute as the industry has been excluded from support schemes available to the rest of the leisure and tourism industry.

As a member of the Transport Select Committee, Grahame Morris MP has called on the government to provide financial support to the sector. Mr Morris has invited coach operators to submit evidence to the Transport Select Committee Inquiry on Coronavirus and the implications for transport, he said:

“Coaches are the backbone of the leisure and tourism industry. The industry contributes over £6 billion to the economy and employs 42,000 people. Coaches connect people to our leisure and tourism sector. They are the critical link making possible group excursions to theatres, museums, sports events, shopping centres, and school trips.

Our transport sector was hit first, hit hardest and will be the last to recover from Covid 19. The government need to outline a range of sector-specific support as these vital transport links are easier to maintain and safeguard through coronavirus than having to be rebuilt should they collapse. If the industry fails, there will be lasting damage to the leisure and tourism industry, our economy and employment.

Government loans and guarantees are not enough to protect what in normal times is a robust and viable industry. If the UK is to re-emerge from coronavirus leisure and tourism will be vital to our recovery, and we must support the sectors that underpin the entire industry.”

Mr Morris is asking coach operators to contribute to the Transport Select Committee’s ongoing inquiry into the effects of coronavirus on transport:

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/153/transport-committee

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Grahame Morris MP, Parliamentary Questions on Coronavirus and the Coach Industry:

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2020-07-09.71727.h&s=speaker%3A24715#g71727.q0