Bus Services: Disability

(asked on 22nd April 2016) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that broken accessibility equipment on buses is considered as a priority for repair.


Answered by
Andrew Jones Portrait
Andrew Jones
This question was answered on 27th April 2016

From 1 January 2016 all single-deck buses designed to carry over twenty-two passengers on local and scheduled routes must comply with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR), which require them to incorporate a wheelchair space and boarding facility, priority seating and other features to make journeys easier for a range of disabled people. Double deckers must comply by January 2017, and coaches by 2020.

Currently 89% of buses are compliant, and last year just 47 of the 7,343 public service vehicles subject to routine checks were found to have PSVAR related defects. Operators of vehicles found to be non-compliant are required to rectify faults promptly or risk enforcement action.

We expect all operators to comply with the law and are working with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to ensure it continues to be enforced effectively.

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