§ Mr. Boothasked the Minister of Transport what current United Kingdom and EEC regulations cover international coach journeys commencing or terminating in Great Britain.
§ Mr. FowlerThe following regulations affect international coach journeys to or from Great Britain:
A. Great Britain
Road Transport (International) Passenger Service Regulations 1980 (S.I., 1980, No. 1459):Modifies provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1960 and the Transport Act 1980 to reflect the EEC regulations, and to make provision for other international services from non-EEC countries.B. EEC
Regulation 117/66:
The principal regulation governing the operation of international coach services within the EEC; it defines the types of service, lays down common rules and prescribes control procedures and penalties.Regulation 516/72:
Governs the operation of shuttle services between member States.Regulation 517/72:
Governs the operation of regular services between member States.Regulation 1010/68:
Prescribes the waybill to be used for occasional services and the certificate to be used for international workers services.Regulation 1172/72:
Prescribes the forms of authorisation to be issued for regular, special regular and shuttle services and the form for the annual return of statistics for regular and special regular services.Regulations 543/69 and 2829/77:
Govern drivers' hours.Regulation 1463/70:
Prescribes the construction, installation and use of recording equipment (i.e. tachographs) in road transport.
§ Mr. Boothasked the Minister of Transport how many checks have been made in the last 12 months by his Department's inspectors on coaches used for international journeys; and how many breaches of regulations these tests have revealed.
§ Mr. FowlerDuring the past year my Department's vehicle examiners examined 93,808 public service vehicles242W and suspended the licences of 4,080 that were found defective. These figures include coaches that were used on international journeys. Additionally 115 coaches were examined in direct relation to international journeys resulting in nine being prohibited from use as a result of serious defects.
§ Mr. Boothasked the Minister of Transport how many checks have been made by his Department's inspectors in the last 12 months to ascertain whether drivers of coaches on international journeys have completed log books.
§ Mr. FowlerAlthough national figures are not really available, my Department's inspectors regularly carry out checks on coach drivers' hours and records. For example, during August and October this year, 231 British and 168 foreign coaches were checked at Dover.
§ Mr. Boothasked the Minister of Transport whether he has received a request from the European Coach Services Organisation to suspend any Euroways licence; and if so, what criteria he will use in deciding whether to accede to this request.
§ Mr. FowlerI have received a request, but no licences are held in the name of Euroways. Licences are held individually by the coach operators who operate under the name Euroways. I am anxious that rules governing the safe operation of international coach services, and particularly those relating to standards of driving and drivers' hours should be fully observed. I will consider the suspension of any licences where there is evidence of deliberate infringement of these rules.