§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if there is an exemption order for the fleet of new Class 170/3 trains to be introduced into service by South West Trains Ltd. in respect of the provisions of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998; and if he will make a statement. [137186]
§ Mr. HillWe have received an application from South West Trains Ltd. relating to the new Class 170/3 trains they wish to introduce into service. The exemptions have been discussed with our statutory advisers, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. An exemption Order relating to the exemption of these trains was laid before Parliament on 3 November 2000. Copies are available from the Library.
Further applications for exemption from certain aspects of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998 have also been received from Gatwick Express for their Class 460 vehicles, Chiltern Railways Ltd. for their Class 168/1 vehicles and South West Trains in relation to their Class 458 vehicles. The exemptions sought were also discussed with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. The exemption Order relating to the Gatwick Express vehicles was laid before Parliament on 1 September 2000 while the Orders relating to the Chiltern Railways and South West Trains vehicles were both laid before Parliament on 8 September 2000.
The exemptions will not prevent disabled people from using the new trains. Indeed, we believe that their introduction will make a significant contribution to improving mobility opportunities for disabled people.