Why traveling by coach is the most sustainable option

So, you want to travel more but are also concerned about the impact that will have on the environment. Or maybe you have a long commute by train, but want to reduce your personal carbon footprint. Seemingly, each side of the scenario appears as a contradiction from the other. But we’ll let you in on a little secret - we know how you can achieve both sides. 

The answer is (drum roll please) - traveling by Coach (cue confetti guns). 

Okay, okay, so you might be feeling slightly underwhelmed by the big reveal, but if you’re part of the 69% of people wanting to reduce their carbon footprint whilst traveling (Booking.com), you need to get on board with coaches (see what we did there).

Coaches are by far the cleanest and greenest way to travel and have the least harmful environmental impact ( aside from cycling and walking). Their average carbon dioxide emissions are 1.5 times lower than rail, 5 times lower than air travel and 6 times lower than traveling by car! Now they’re some good stats.

But coach engines are bigger than my car engine, how can this be the case? Just one coach full of passengers can keep up to 50 cars off the road, so the emissions per passenger/per journey are significantly lower. Not to mention the undeniable impact this has on overall congestion.

Following the recent COP27 Climate Summit, where world leaders continue to work towards tackling climate change, highlighting the benefits of coach travel is as important as ever. Traveling by coach or bus is part of the solution to the problem of climate change. 56% of carbon emissions come from cars & taxis, whilst only 3% are a result of traveling by bus or coach.  

Prior to the pandemic, there were an estimated 500 million passenger journeys made by coach in the UK. More than you thought right? However, according to the Confederation of Passenger Transport, if there was an increase by just 15% to the journeys made by British people, this would lead to approximately 47 millions cars off the road which would save over 250,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. 

And it’s not just for your next summer holiday that you can utilise coach hire. Picture the scene. You’ve been tasked with organising the next company day out for over 50 people. You could get everyone to drive in their own vehicles, rely on the traffic on their route being okay, and hope they all find somewhere to park (sounds stressful). Or, you could hire a private coach for your group! Not only would this take all of those cars initially traveling off the road (and you can shout about reducing your carbon footprint in your marketing!), it ensures all the right people get to the right place, at the right time. See, we feel more relaxed already.

Coach travel is undeniably the most sustainable option for travel, but it’s also a more sustainable option for your bank account! Generally speaking traveling by coach is a much cheaper option than getting the train. And when you compare it to driving in your own car, you will save on the fuel and parking costs when you get to your destination! Not to mention that traveling on an executive coach, you can enjoy the comfortable seats and on board facilities, with the only thing you need to worry about is packing enough snacks!

Let us help to reduce your carbon footprint.

If you hadn’t noticed by now, we love coaches. We are a coach operator based in Leicestershire, and being a travel based company, we are passionate about tackling the impact of carbon emissions on the environment. 

Whether you’re organising the travel for a company event, fancy a day at the races or are looking for a bespoke group tour, we’ve got a range of coaches and buses perfect for you. If you’re looking to reduce your personal carbon footprint through your commute, we operate the Leicester Park & Ride service in association with Leicester County Council and Leicester City Council with a fleet of state-of-the-art zero emission electric buses.

Looking to go further afield? We also offer Holidays, Short Breaks and Day Trips by coach, meaning you can still scratch that travel itch, whilst having peace of mind that you’re taking the more sustainable route. 

Contact our teams today to start your sustainable travel journey.