Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that PSVAR requirements do not restrict access to post-16 education for students in rural communities where there is no suitable alternative public transport available.

The Government strongly supports the aims of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 and believes that disabled children and young people should be able to travel alongside their classmates.

Compliance with these regulations in the home-to-school coach sector has been slow, which is why the Government has been offering exemptions to coach operators since 2019.

We recognise that closed-door home-to-school services, including those carrying students to further education or training, are particularly important in rural communities where alternative public transport may be limited.

We have therefore introduced a further four-year exemptions scheme for eligible home-to-school coach services, protecting essential transport while ensuring that accessible vehicles are available where they are needed.