As the dominant factor of UK bus policy is to reduce congestion and carbon emissions by encouraging a modal shift away from the private car, buses are therefore largely seen, alongside cycling, as the environmentally friendly face of transport.

But since the coalition came into power it has been relatively silent on the issue – with the exception of continuing Labour's green bus fund to help councils buy low-carbon buses. This could be, in large, down to the two parties' conflicting election manifestos on transport.