§ Mr. DowdTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions his Department has had on the effect of the age of the London bus fleet on air quality in the capital.
§ Mr. MacleanEmissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles, including buses, were the subject of the 15th report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (Command 1631) published in September 1991. The Government's response was published in October 1992. Among other things, this refers to measures already taken to improve the in-service testing of vehicles and the introduction of a telephone hotline to enable the public to report smoky vehicles. The response also stated that improvements would be made to the Department of Transport guide for maintaining roadworthiness. These would require operators to make regular engine management and maintenance checks in order to retain satisfactory emissions performance. Steps would also be taken to ensure that the public is made more aware of the existence of the telephone hotlines. These publicity measures will be implemented in the near future.