Ensuring the Journey is Just the Beginning: Why Skills Are at the Heart of the UK Coach Industry

Easter weekend is one of the busiest times on the UK’s roads. In 2025, Good Friday alone is set to see 19.1 million car journeys. Amid this surge, coaches play a vital, often unsung, role, linking people and places across the four nations. Whether it's families heading to coastal getaways in Wales, tourists discovering Scottish Highlands, or fans crossing from Belfast to attend a sporting final in Manchester, the coach sector is a cornerstone of the UK’s tourism, education, and events economy.

As we prepare for National Coach Week (12–18 May 2025), we shine a spotlight on this essential sector, one that delivers far more than passengers. It delivers opportunity, connectivity, and community.

A Connected Nation

From the racing at Aintree and Ayr to school trips to Giant’s Causeway or Edinburgh Castle, coaches enable access to the UK’s cultural, historical, and sporting treasures. They're also crucial for rural communities, providing links where public transport may be limited, and supporting local economies from Snowdonia to the Scottish Borders.

But behind every journey is a team of professionals and that team is under pressure.

Addressing a UK-Wide Skills Challenge

Across the UK, the coach industry is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers, with demand for:

· Qualified drivers with up-to-date CPC credentials

· Competent technicians for modern, sustainable fleets

· Knowledgeable tour guides who enrich the travel experience

· Efficient transport administrators and office support staff

These roles are the backbone of the customer experience vital not only to operational success, but to the reputation of the UK as a welcoming, well-run destination.

Investing in Skills Across the Nations

The RHA is committed to supporting coach operators nationwide with a robust offering of professional training, including:

· Driver CPC and return to driving courses, which help ensure experienced drivers can re-enter the workforce safely and confidently

· Transport Manager CPC, empowering leadership across UK coach firms

· IRTEC technician certification, crucial for the maintenance of fleets across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

· Transport Administrator courses, delivering essential knowledge for support staff

These programmes not only meet regulatory requirements they drive professionalism, confidence, and resilience in every part of the UK.

Championing the Future of Coach Travel

In all parts of the UK, from the Glens of Antrim to the valleys of South Wales, we must act now to close the skills gap and attract the next generation into coach sector roles. This includes expanding apprenticeships, skills bootcamps, and employer-led training schemes that reflect regional needs and opportunities.

Because keeping Britain moving especially during peak times like Easter—requires more than wheels on tarmac. It requires investment in people, passion for service, and policies that support growth.

This Easter, let’s recognise the drivers, technicians, guides, and administrators who make our journeys possible. And during National Coach Week, let’s celebrate and invest in the skills that keep the UK connected north to south, east to west, and across every border and bridge.