§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress on improving bus safety and to reduce the dangers of bus doors to elderly people.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyWe are distributing for comment draft regulations which would require all power-operated doors in new buses and coaches to be provided with safety devices to prevent people being trapped in the doors as the bus moves off. If the doors close on to a passenger they will be required to re-open, or release the passenger. A warning light would be required to be fitted to inform the driver whenever the doors were not fully closed.
We hope that these measures will lead to further improvements in the very good safety record of buses and coaches.
The draft regulations also contain amendments to remove unnecessary restrictions on the provision of facilities for passengers in wheelchairs.
190WWe are also proposing to allow more time for coach manufacturers to bring their designs up to the requirements of ECE regulation 66, the United Nations standard for strength of superstructure. We have already made regulations to adopt this standard as a national requirement with effect from April 1990.
Coach manufacturers have made conspicuous improvements in this area. There has not been a reported death due to roof collapse in Great Britain during the last five years.
Discussions with other member states have shown that it is still uncertain what form the European Community requirements for coach construction will take in the new single market, particularly in this area. In the circumstances we think it is right to postpone our national requirement for three years to give time for the future European Community requirements to become settled.