HC Deb 24 February 1993 vol 219 cc578-9W
Mrs. Anne Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the difference between the minimum standards of construction for coaches registered in the United Kingdom for coaches which do not exceed 60 mph and those for coaches which travel at speeds up to 70 mph; and if he will exempt coaches which do not exceed 60 mph from the requirement to have seat belts fitted even in exposed seats.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

Coaches and large buses that can exceed 60 mph are required to have anti-lock brakes and seat belts on exposed seats and, from 1 April 1993, to comply with European superstructure strength requirements.

These features are not required for large buses that cannot exceed 60 mph. They operate normally at low speed on short town and city routes. The need for belts and the likelihood of their being used are less than on faster long-distance coaches and we have no plans to make them compulsory.

Mrs. Anne Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to tighten up regulations on the construction of coaches registered in the United Kingdom which travel at speeds not exceeding 60 mph.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

No, but I intend to monitor the situation. If it becomes apparent that coach operators are generally using vehicles of lower than appropriate safety standards, I will consider new measures.

Mrs. Anne Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport from what year coaches will be restricted to a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour(a) on the continent and (b) in the United Kingdom; what effect these restrictions will have on the safety standards of coaches manufactured in the United Kingdom; and what representations he has received from coach manufacturers on this subject.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

EC directive 92/6 requires speed limiters on new coaches to be set at 100 km/h from 1 January 1994. It will also apply to coaches registered after 1 January 1988 from 1 January 1995 if the coach is used for international transport and from 1 January 1996 if the coach is used for national transport. We will be consulting shortly on draft regulations to implement the directive.

The safety standards applying to the construction of coaches are not directly affected by the directive.

I have been approached on the subject of safety by one United Kingdom coach manufacturer.