§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on modernisation of bus fleets under his bus strategy. [164839]
§ Dr. HowellsContinuation of the currently high levels of investment by the bus industry in new, modern accessible vehicles is an important part of encouraging bus use and improving local transport provision.
We agreed targets in 2002 with the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), which represents the vast majority of bus operators in the UK, for reducing the average age of the bus fleet and for increasing the accessibility of vehicles.
The CPT has committed its members in Great Britain to a target which aims to achieve and maintain an average fleet age of eight years for their vehicles which are mainly used for local bus services, during the period up to 2010. The latest available figure shows an average vehicle age of 7.5 years.
We are also tracking the proportion of full size bus fleet that is fully accessible, the aim being to ensure that 50 per cent. of vehicles are fully accessible by 2010. The latest available figure shows that 29.3 per cent. of the full size bus fleet currently meet these requirements.