§ Lord Pearson of Rannochasked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the reply by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 27 November (HL Deb, cols. 743–44), what is the position with the European Bus Directive, and whether the future of the double-decker bus is assured. [HL331]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe directive was adopted on 20 November 2001. Officials at the Department of Transport are in the process of completing initial consultations requesting views on the proposed method of implementing it into UK legislation. We are proposing to integrate the requirements of the directive into a consolidation of existing bus and coach regulations to make them simpler and easier to understand. It is hoped to implement this consolidation in the latter half of 2003.
The directive will have no effect on the use of existing double-decker buses operating in the UK. Our regulations will permit the current design of low-floor, accessible double-decker buses to continue to be produced.