Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether passengers using demand responsive transport services such as WESTlink have access to the same alternative dispute resolution scheme as bus and coach passengers.

The availability of alternative dispute resolution arrangements depends on the regulatory framework under which a transport service operates.

Demand responsive transport (DRT) is a broad term, and DRT services can be operated in different ways. Where a DRT service is registered and operated as a local service (as defined in the Transport Act 1985), passengers should have access to the same complaints and dispute resolution arrangements as other passengers of local services. Where DRT services operate under different regulatory arrangements, the dispute resolution mechanisms available may differ.

The Department encourages operators to have clear and accessible complaints procedures and to ensure passengers are aware of the routes available for escalating complaints where they remain unresolved.