July 07 2021
CPT has reacted to a letter from Baroness Vere to trade bodies setting out the government’s immediate and longer-term approach to the application of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations.
“The confirmation of a further exemption for home to school services ensures operators can continue to provide home to school transport across the country.
“It is now important that the Department for Transport works urgently with the industry to develop medium term exemptions so that operators can make appropriate investments over the coming months. These exemptions should also reward those who have already invested in PSVAR-compliant vehicles.
“The pandemic has significantly limited operators’ ability to invest and any long-term arrangements to bring all coach services into scope must be forward looking, avoiding the need for costly retrofit of coaches bought in good faith. We look forward to working with officials and ministers to develop their proposals further as well as alongside the industry to develop improved ways of delivering the inclusive travel which the industry wholeheartedly supports.”