Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they had made of proposals by Spanish bus and coach builder Irizar to modify air-conditioning systems to reduce passengers' inhalation of air-born droplets or micro-particles by ionising the air entering each system, and to use increased levels of oxygen in such systems to combat viruses via oxidisation; and in particular, whether such methods could be used on trains or trams to tackle pollen, fungal spores, bacteria and other microbes, as well as COVID-19 and other viruses.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We have not made any assessment of the proposals made by Spanish bus and coach builder Irizar to modify air-conditioning systems. However, we are aware that the industry is looking at various options around modifying air conditioning to give greater protection.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has received representations from representatives of the coach sector on the reasons for the low compliance by that sector with the requirement for coaches to be fully accessible by 1 January 2020.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government supports the creation of an inclusive transport network, and ensuring that disabled and non-disabled people can travel together onboard bus and coach services is key to making this a reality.
Officials engage regularly with stakeholders and we have received a range of representations concerning the impact of the application of the Regulations and of the exemptions we have issued, including from coach operators and bus and coach industry representatives.
It is the Government’s view that it is wrong to require a child to travel in a separate vehicle, segregated from their peers, simply because they are disabled. Every delay in achieving full compliance prevents disabled people from travelling with the same freedom, dignity and choice that others take for granted.
We have provided temporary exemptions to help ease the implementation of the Regulations, but once these have expired we expect all vehicles subject to the Regulations and used on home to school services to comply with them.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish guidance on disability equality training for bus drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government remains committed to publishing best practice guidance on the provision of high quality disability awareness training for bus and coach drivers, to support operators to ensure that every driver has the knowledge and skills to assist disabled passengers.
We will publish the guidance later in the year and will work with the bus and coach industry to encourage its adoption.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish his Department's its guidance for bus operators on the quality of training in relation to the EU Bus and Coach Regulations 2013 on making bus transport more accessible to guide-dog owners.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government remains committed to publishing best practice guidance on the provision of high quality disability awareness training for bus and coach drivers, to support operators to ensure that every driver has the knowledge and skills to assist disabled passengers.
We will publish the guidance later in the year and will work with the bus and coach industry to encourage its adoption.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish the best practice guidance on disability awareness training for bus drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government remains committed to publishing best practice guidance on the provision of high quality disability awareness training for bus and coach drivers, to support operators to ensure that every driver has the knowledge and skills to assist disabled passengers.
We will publish the guidance later in the year and will work with the bus and coach industry to encourage its adoption.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Inclusive Transport Strategy, published on 25 July 2018, when his Department plans to publish guidance on what should be included in high quality training for bus drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government remains committed to publishing best practice guidance on the provision of high quality disability awareness training for bus and coach drivers, to support operators to ensure that every driver has the knowledge and skills to assist disabled passengers.
We will publish the guidance later in the year and will work with the bus and coach industry to encourage its adoption.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has held with bus companies on disability awareness training for all bus drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Bus and coach operators must ensure that drivers subject to the EU Regulation 181/2011 requirement to complete disability awareness training receive appropriate instruction. As part of the 2018 annual bus statistics survey, we sought data on whether operators were compliant with these new duties, and we are considering the results published on the 30th January. We also intend to publish best practice guidance on disability awareness training in the spring.
We are committed to developing a framework for the monitoring and enforcement of relevant training requirements, and continue to liaise with Regulators and the bus industry to ensure that operators understand fully their responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what requirements there are for the drivers of public service vehicles to report unruly passengers to their depots and to the police at the time when a disturbance is taking place; whether there are any restrictions on how drivers communicate this; and what requirements there are to provide drivers with the equipment to enable them to do this.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Bus/Coach crews have a duty of care towards their passengers under Section 5(1) of the Public Services Vehicles (Conduct) Regulations 1990. This section states that a driver and/or a conductor shall take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of passengers, who are on, or are boarding or alighting from the vehicle. Internal operator safety procedures, including provision of equipment is a matter for individual operators.
The transport industry, local authorities, the police and others are already investing in and undertaking wide-ranging initiatives to improve the personal security of public transport passengers and staff and to keep our public transport systems as low crime environments.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with bus companies to ensure that the required level of disability awareness training is undertaken by all bus drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Bus and coach operators must ensure that drivers subject to the EU Regulation 181/2011 requirement to complete disability awareness training receive appropriate instruction. As part of the 2018 annual bus statistics survey, we sought data on whether operators were compliant with these new duties, and results will be published on January 30th. We also intend to publish best practice guidance on disability awareness training in the spring.
We are committed to developing a framework for the monitoring and enforcement of relevant training requirements, and continue to liaise with Regulators and the bus industry to ensure that operators understand fully their responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the UK and the EU, why they decided to include an intention to make bilateral agreements for cross-border rail services; why no similar intention was included for cross-border bus services; whether they carried out a consultation on such arrangements; and if so, what were the results.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As outlined in the Future Relationship White Paper in July and the Political Declaration on the Framework for the Future Relationship between the EU and the UK Government, published on 22 November, the EU and the UK have agreed that the UK will pursue bilateral agreements. These will be undertaken with France, Belgium and the Netherlands to ensure the continued smooth functioning and operation of services through the Channel Tunnel, and with Ireland to do the same for the Belfast‑Dublin Enterprise line.
Outside of these cross-border services, the UK will have the flexibility to shape its own domestic railway legislation to meet the needs of its passengers and freight shippers, and reflect the unique characteristics of the rail network within the UK.
Continued market access for transport between the UK and the EU, including for bus and coach travel, is in our mutual interests. We will seek to agree cross-border bus services as part of the future relationship with the EU. In the event of no deal, as set out in the Department for Transport Technical Notice ‘Operating bus or coach services abroad if there’s no Brexit deal’, the UK would seek to put in place bilateral agreement with EU countries.
Consultations with industry have been ongoing, and we will continue to take on board the views of stakeholders.