§ Lord Cocks of Hartcliffeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Traffic Commissioner in the Western area who recently attended the opening of the new bus depot at Filwood, Bristol was able to satisfy himself that there would be no increase in the incidence of respiratory disease, especially in young children, in the residential area around the new bus depot; what inquiries the Traffic Commissioner made about the monitoring of air quality; and what assurances he was given by the FirstGroup Company on this matter. [HL3694]
§ Lord WhittyTraffic Commissioners have no powers over the siting of new bus depots. Consideration of any such developments which require planning permission would be a matter for the local planning authority. Local authorities are able to take account of air quality considerations in undertaking their land use planning responsibilities.