What We’re Doing to Make Coach Travel More Sustainable

At the Coach Travel Group, London and South East (LSE), we're continually looking at ways to make our coach operations more efficient and sustainable. From investing in cleaner vehicles to improving journey planning, we're taking practical steps to reduce unnecessary mileage, improve vehicle utilisation, and minimise our environmental impact.

As part of World Sustainable Transport Day, we're highlighting some of the ways our teams are working behind the scenes to support more sustainable coach travel. 

Investing In Cleaner Vehicles

As part of our ongoing fleet investment, Coach Travel Group LSE has invested in modern Scania coaches equipped with Euro VI engines. These engines meet stringent European emissions standards for new vehicles, helping to limit harmful exhaust pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which contribute to poor air quality.

Investing in modern vehicles is one way we're working to improve our fleet and provide reliable, comfortable transport for our customers, while taking steps towards reducing the environmental impact of our operations.

Reducing Engine Idling

When a coach is stationary with its engine running unnecessarily, it continues to consume fuel and produce emissions. Reducing unnecessary engine idling is a simple but important way to improve operational efficiency and avoid preventable emissions.

Across our operations, we've been taking practical steps to reduce unnecessary idling and encourage more efficient vehicle use. And the results are already making a difference!

Since 1 April 2026, we've achieved:

• 59% reduction in engine idling time
• 54% reduction in fuel wasted through idling
• 8 hours less idling every day
• 3.39 gallons of fuel saved every day through reduced idling

These improvements demonstrate how small changes to our everyday operations can make a meaningful difference. By reducing unnecessary engine running time, we are not only saving fuel but also cutting avoidable emissions and making every mile count.

Smarter Journey Planning

Sustainability isn't just about the vehicles we operate; it's also about how we plan to use them.

Effective journey planning helps us make more informed decisions about vehicle allocation, depot locations and passenger requirements. By identifying the right coach for each booking and considering where vehicles are best positioned, we can help reduce unnecessary mileage and make better use of our fleet.

Our planning and optimisation team plays an important role in this process, using technology and depot reporting to support more efficient operational decisions. These improvements can help us make better use of available vehicles, reduce avoidable journeys and ensure every mile counts.

A Group-Wide Commitment

Making coach travel more sustainable is a collective effort. Across London and the South East (LSE), our operators work together to improve how we manage our fleets, plan journeys and deliver transport services.

As part of The Coach Travel Group, we also benefit from a wider network of operators across the UK. By working closely with one another, sharing resources and supporting each other during busy periods, we can make better use of our vehicles and reduce unnecessary mileage.

This collaborative approach allows us to allocate vehicles, minimise unnecessary journeys between depots and ensure the coach is at the right place at the right time. By sharing vehicles, expertise and resources across the Group, we're not only improving operational efficiency but also taking practical steps to reduce our environmental impact and make every journey count.

Moving Towards A More Sustainable Future

There is no single solution to make transport more sustainable. Progress comes from a combination of investment, careful planning and everyday operational decisions.

At Coach Travel Group LSE, we're continuing to explore practical ways to improve sustainability. By working together across our operators, we're taking steps towards a more sustainable future for coach travel.