§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage operators to introduce buses with modern technology minimising polluting emissions. [8106]
§ Mr. NorrisPolluting emissions from buses are already beginning to reduce and are forecast to continue to reduce until at least 2005 on the basis of current rates of vehicle replacement as a result of increasingly stringent emissions standards for new vehicles. I am satisfied, in that context, that it should be a matter for operators to decide when to buy new vehicles.