§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the new buses which meet the specifications of floor level and related matters for people with disabilities and elderly people; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloA comprehensive list is not available.
The majority of new buses now produced in the United Kingdom are fitted, at the request of operators or local authorities, with some or all of the features recommended by the Disabled Persons Transort Advisory Committee (DPTAC) in their "Recommended Specification for Vehicles Used To Operate Local Services".
Work is now in hand to develop European standards for low floor buses which will be accessible to wheelchair users.