Do transport users care about going green?

30 October 2019

How can you go greener when you have little choice in what transport you use?

One of Transport Focus’s first joint pieces of work with London TravelWatch was on carbon offsetting in transport. We responded to a Government consultation on whether consumer behaviour could be changed by providing more information on sustainable forms of travel.

We know that, although there is definite interest in greener transport, other considerations such as reliability, value for money and convenience are all more important.

This is especially true when looking at rural areas. In the city, there are pathways and bus routes which make it easier to choose to take the bus or cycle. In the countryside this is often not the case. It’s all very well wanting to go greener but if the provisions aren’t in your area you simply don’t have that option.

Ultimately it is clear responsibility lies not with the user but with the operators. When you need to get to work on time, convenience is king – it is easy for the environmental factor to slip down your list of priorities.

We look to operating companies and the authorities to consider the environment and tell us more about our impact while also providing reliable services for a decent price.