HC Deb 03 December 2001 vol 376 cc26-7W
Mr. Edwards

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria determine the number of passengers permitted to stand on a scheduled bus; and how many people standing are permitted on an(a) 48 seater and (b) 53 seater bus. [19754]

Mr. Jamieson

Every public service vehicle must have a Certificate of Initial Fitness on which is specified the maximum number of seated and standing passengers.

The Public Service Vehicles (Carrying Capacity) Regulations 1984 prohibit the carriage of any standing passengers on:

  1. (a) a vehicle with a seating capacity of less than 13 passengers;
  2. (b) a vehicle with a gangway any part of the height of which is less than 1.77 metre;
  3. (c) a half decked vehicle.

Where a vehicle is permitted to carry standing passengers the criteria used to establish the number is as follows: the total number of standing passengers carried on a single deck vehicle or the lower deck of a double-decked vehicle shall not exceed the number obtained by dividing by 1,900 the total floor area of that deck (in square centimetres) available to standing passengers. The floor area for calculation shall not include:

  1. (a) any space occupied by a seat or within 225mm of the front of a seat required for the accommodation of seated passengers;
  2. (b) any area which is within 225mm of the top of a step;
  3. (c) any step and any space within 225mm of an entrance or exit other than a Secondary Emergency Exit or an exit required by Regulation 21(11) of the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) Regulations 1981. The space being measured from the outside edge of the vehicle and having the same width as the opening;
  4. (d) any space forward of a transverse plane that touches the rear of the driver's seat when it is located in its rearmost position;
  5. (e) any space on the higher level of a split level floor which is within 225mm of the edge of any unprotected step in the change of levels;
  6. (f) any space which does not have access to a gangway as specified in sub-paragraph (g);
  7. (g) any part of a gangway which is not at least 450mm wide at all levels;
  8. (h) any space in which it is not possible to inscribe a square having 355mm sides.

The number of standing and seated passengers is required to be marked on the vehicle but the operator can, if he so wishes, use a lower number than that established by the above procedure.

It is not possible to give a general answer to the cases of a 48 seat vehicle and 53 seat vehicle as the above criteria may be different for each design.