The Confederation of Passenger Transport’s annual conference was about as political as I can ever remember, with a huge proportion of the discussion devoted to what the industry would like to see from the next government, as well as what it can realistically deliver.
I have to say I was disappointed by the video presentation from the new buses minister, Guy Opperman. Not turning up to a venue in eyeshot of the Houses of Parliament is not a great look, though of course I understand that MPs have busy schedules and travel all over the country. Less forgivable was the fact the presentation was less than two minutes long, and did little more than state facts about the bus and coach industry to a gathering of professionals from the bus and coach industry. It makes me question why he bothered at all.
At last year’s event, Richard Holden, buses minister at the time (since promoted to chair of the Conservative Party) spent close to an hour with journalists, before speaking at length at the conference.
Labour’s shadow minister for local transport, Simon Lightwood, attended in person for the second year in a row.
His talk did not provide much in the way of new information. We are already aware of Labour’s di…
