Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to tighten the regulations governing driving hours and rest periods for bus drivers on local routes to bring them into line with the regulations for long-distance bus drivers.

The Government has no current plans to change the GB domestic drivers’ hours legislation applicable to drivers of local bus services. The existing legislation is both important and appropriate in ensuring the safety of drivers and others on the road. However, any further restrictions could risk imposing unreasonable burdens on industry, particularly as fatal accidents involving bus or coaches have been falling over time, from 120 in 2007 to 55 in 2017. It is worth noting that reported involvement in a fatal accident does not necessarily indicate fault or causation.