Taxi Driver Online

This thread will mainly concentrate on the comments and activities surrounding the Secretary of state for Transport and the under secretary of state Gillian Merron.
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Tom Levitt (PPS (Rt Hon Hilary Benn, Secretary of State), Department for International Development, High Peak, Labour) Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in fulfilling its statutory obligation as a public body of promoting the rights of disabled people.
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Gillian Merron (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Hansard source

The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 placed new duties on public authorities to promote equality for disabled people, 'the Disability Equality Duty'.

The Department for Transport is currently assessing its policies in accordance with the duty and the results of this exercise will be included in its Disability Equality Scheme (DES). The DES will set out how the Department intends to meet its duty to promote disability equality including the arrangements in place to assess the impact of its activities together with an action plan outlining how it intends to improve outcomes for disabled people.

The Department for Transport is committed to an accessible public transport system in which disabled people have the same opportunities to travel as other members of society.

A great deal has already been achieved in this area. For example, we have introduced regulations under part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) making all new rail vehicles, buses and coaches accessible. Over 4,400 compliant rail vehicles are already in service and almost half the bus fleet is accessible. These improvements have already had a significant impact on the day-to-day mobility of disabled people.

We are also implementing the transport provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. The new Act contains measures amending the rail vehicle accessibility regime and will extend part 3 of the DDA 1995 (which deals with access to goods and services) to the operators of all land-based public transport, vehicle hire and breakdown services from 4 December 2006.

Transport infrastructure, such as stations and airports, is already covered by these provisions which require service providers to remove obstacles that mean disabled people find it impossible or unreasonably difficult to access services. Policy initiatives, such as the recently announced "Access for All" fund (a £370 million ring-fenced resource available to improve access to railway stations) will provide further improvements.

Sadiq Khan (Tooting, Labour) Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Government will publish taxi access regulations under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
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Derek Twigg (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Hansard source

We do not yet have a timetable for introduction of taxi accessibility regulations but the current situation is that local licensing authorities remain free to introduce their own accessibility policies and many have done so already.We are currently developing a technical specification to set the design parameters for accessible taxis. To assist this process, the Department held a seminar in June 2005 for stakeholders from industry, organisations representing disabled people and licensing authorities to discuss the complex issues around taxi accessibility. The views expressed at the seminar will be used to shape a consultation package.

Department of Transport annual report 2006. The short reference to Taxis can be found in the Bus section at 6.32

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/d ... =16543&l=3

Regards

JD

Tony Blairs welcome letter to Douglas Alexander, DfT.

http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page9419.asp

Regards

JD

Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell, Conservative). Hansard source 20/3/06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer to question 47462 on school bus drivers, how many bus drivers are included on List 99; whether bus drivers have been permitted to carry on working with children following convictions for sexual offences against minors; and what measures are in place to check taxi and minicab drivers who drive special needs children to school.

Maria Eagle (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Children and Families), Department for Education and Skills)

The Department does not hold the detail of how many bus drivers are on List 99. The Department for Education and Skills' guidance to local authorities on home to school transport arrangements for children with special educational needs states that criminal record checks are essential for escorts, and, where they are in sole charge of children, for taxi drivers and minicab drivers.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill includes a requirement for bus drivers, taxi drivers, minicab drivers, and escorts who care for, or have a supervisory role over children, to be checked.
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Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many infringements of taxi regulations have been discovered by the Department of the Environment's taxi enforcement branch in each of the past three years.

14 Mar 2006

The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Rooker): Enforcement officers attached to the department's Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency have detected and reported the following infringements of taxi regulations with a view to prosecution.

01/04/03 to 31/03/04
PSV Lic Off 309
PSV Driv Lic Off 210
Ins Off 228
Other Off 137

01/04/04 to 31/03/05
PSV Lic Off 188
PSV Driv Lic Off 140
Ins Off 177
Other Off 74

01/04/05 to 28/02/06
PSV Lic Off 148
PSV Driv Lic Off 68
Ins Off 99
Other Off 176

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id ... 2.7&s=taxi
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Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West, Liberal Democrat)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of unlicensed taxis operating in (a) England and (b) Leeds North West.

Karen Buck (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Hansard source

We have made no estimate of the extent of unlicensed taxi operation either in England as a whole or in particular local areas. However, relevant data is held by the Court Proceedings Database of the Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

Taxis in England must be licensed by the relevant local authority under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847. Individuals who attempt to provide a taxi service without being properly licensed normally do so by contravening section 45 of the 1847 Act by illegally plying for hire or section 167 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 by touting.

The Court Proceedings Database shows the numbers of offenders found guilty of offences under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 (wider than just illegal plying for hire) and s167 of the 1994 Act are as follows; these data are provided on the principal offence basis.

In 2004, 215 people were found guilty of offences under sections 40–68 of the 1847 Act in England; 16 people were found guilty of these offences in the West Yorkshire Police Force Area.

In 2004, 311 people were found guilty of offences under s167 of the 1994 Act in England; none of these offences were in the West Yorkshire Police Force Area.
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The wide range of comments received on the draft Guidance are now being considered and the intention is to publish the Guidance in its final form this spring.

Remind me doesn't Spring 2006 finish this week?

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IDFIMH

I sat back at that one, I think Spring was the original deadline but obviously its going to be at least Summer.

Regards

JD

Pavement Parking

17 Jul 2006

Philip Hollobone (Kettering, Conservative) Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legislation proscribes vehicle parking on pavements; and what penalties the legislation provides.
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There is no specific national legislation which proscribes vehicle parking on pavements. However, local traffic authorities can make traffic regulation orders, under powers in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to both ban pavement parking in certain areas and also allow specific exemptions from the ban.

Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 makes it an offence to obstruct a highway without lawful authority. The pedestrian footway is part of a highway. The police may issue a fixed penalty notice for such obstruction. However, in London, by virtue of section 8 of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003, authorised officers of borough councils and Transport for London are also empowered to issue a fixed penalty notice for the offence of obstruction under section 137 of the 1980 Act.
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Speed Limits

17 Jul 2006

David Lidington (Aylesbury, Conservative) Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will increase the discretion to local highways authorities in respect of the installation of national speed limit signs at the end of any zone where a lower speed limit is in operation.
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"Local highway authorities have the power to set speed limits at an appropriate level. All changes of speed limit are required by law to be clearly signed to allow drivers ample time to adjust their speed accordingly and drivers are required to know the speed limit in force at any given time. It is important to retain national consistency".
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John Grogan (Selby, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) scope and (b) timetable is for the review of bus regulations being undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport)

As announced to the Transport Select Committee on 28 June, I am taking a long, hard look at bus policy with the aim of taking decisions in the autumn on whether or not changes need to be made. I am looking at a whole range of issues surrounding bus services, discussing them with stakeholders and will be considering any recommendations from the Committee.

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Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr, Plaid Cymru) Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to give new powers to local authorities to regulate buses in Wales.
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Gillian Merron (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Hansard source

The Government intend to publish a draft Bill in the current Session which will include provisions to improve local bus services. Regarding matters that are devolved in Wales, it will be for the National Assembly to decide which provisions should apply to Wales and which should not. Officials will be working closely with the Welsh Assembly Government as detailed proposals are developed.
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