Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the exemption for light goods vehicles from tachograph and EC driver rule requirements has not been extended to passenger carrying vehicles (PCVs); and if he will take steps to extend the exemption to PCVs.

Small passenger carrying vehicles, with 8 or less passenger seats (like light goods vehicles, weighing less than 3.5 tonnes), are also exempt from the EU drivers’ hours rules and the need to use a tachograph. In addition, vehicles with between 10 and 17 seats used exclusively for the non-commercial carriage of passengers are also exempt from the EU rules, along with vehicles used for the carriage of passengers on regular routes, where the route covered does not exceed 50km (local bus services).