§ Mr. Roger Kingasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce a reduced speed limit on coach public service vehicles that do not meet current construction standards for protection of the occupants.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThere have been improvements over the years in some constructional standards for coaches, and more improvements are planned. At present there is no evidence to justify the need for a reduction in speed limits for older vehicles. The present motorway speed limit of 70 mph has applied to coaches since its inception in 1965.
Bus and coach operators are required to satisfy the traffic commissioners on their maintenance arrangements when applying for their operators' licence. Commissioners can and do take action against those operators who do not meet the necessary standards. In particular the traffic commissioners can suspend, revoke or curtail the licence of any operator who has a prohibition notice served on any of his vehicles because of their unsafe condition.
§ Mr. Roger Kingasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied that the standards of constuction of passenger coach public service vehicles afford satisfactory protection for the occupants in the event of an accident.
§ Mrs. ChalkerPublic service vehicles already provide one of the safest forms of travel by road, but we are continuing our efforts to improve the construction of coaches so as to increase passenger protection in the more serious kinds of accident.
We are pressing for minimum standards for the strength of coach bodies and seats to be agreed in an international regulation under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.