Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of buses on the road in England that he expects to be in compliance with the Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations by 2017.

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) require buses designed to carry over 22 passengers on local and scheduled routes to incorporate features enabling disabled passengers to travel in safety and comfort. Single deck vehicles have had to comply since first January this year, and double deck buses must comply by 1 January 2017.

I expect the operators of all vehicles subject to the Regulations to ensure that they meet the relevant standards by the respective deadlines.

We will continue to work with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to ensure that PSVAR requirements are understood and enforced effectively, maintaining the high levels of accessibility that disabled people have come to expect from bus services.