Improving physical accessibility Buses & Coaches According to the most recent Annual Bus Statistics Department’s (published in September 2014), 95% of buses in England now have low floor designs, while 84% of the total bus fleet holds a Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Certificate (PSVAR) compared to 78% last year. The Government welcomes efforts by bus and coach operators to run fully accessible services before the relevant compliance deadlines. From 1st January 2015, all single decker buses weighing under 7.5 tonnes and carrying 22 or more passengers that are used on local or scheduled services have been required to be fully PSVAR compliant. The Department for Transport provides the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) with a specific fund to enforce the requirements outlined in PSVAR and we will work with DVSA colleagues to ensure that PSVAR compliance continues to be monitored closely and that any bus operator found to be in breach of these Regulations is dealt with accordingly. We will also write to all bus companies who have indicated that they operate a vehicle in this category to remind them of their accessibility obligations and to explain that operating a non-accessible vehicle of this kind is now against the law. Community Transport The Government recognises that Community Transport can provide a wide range of people with vital access to public services, employment, education and training. In order to support the important contribution made by the Community Transport sector, the Department for Transport has created a £25 million Community Bus Fund. This fund has allowed community transport operators, who meet the necessary criteria, to bid for a new minibus to replace or expand their existing fleet. The Secretary of State for Transport formally launched the fund on 17th November 2014 and we have worked with the Community Transport Association (CTA) to ensure that details of the fund reached as many operators as possible. The bidding process for the Community Bus Fund closed on 15th January 2015 and Department for Transport officials will assess all bids received, before confirming those who have been successful. This fund will assist the community transport sector in continuing to deliver vital services to those communities who may not be served by
Improving physical accessibility Buses & Coaches According to the Department’s most recent Annual Bus Statistics (published in September 2014), 95% of buses in England now have low floor designs, while 84% of the total bus fleet holds a Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Certificate (PSVAR) compared to 78% last year. The Government welcomes efforts by bus and coach operators to run fully accessible services before the relevant compliance deadlines. From 1st January 2015, all single decker buses weighing under 7.5 tonnes and carrying 22 or more passengers that are used on local or scheduled services have been required to be fully PSVAR compliant. The Department for Transport provides the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) with a specific fund to enforce the requirements outlined in PSVAR and we will work with DVSA colleagues to ensure that PSVAR compliance continues to be monitored closely and that any bus operator found to be in breach of these Regulations is dealt with accordingly. We will also write to all bus companies who have indicated that they operate a vehicle in this category to remind them of their accessibility obligations and to explain that operating a non-accessible vehicle of this kind is now against the law. Community Transport The Government recognises that Community Transport can provide a wide range of people with vital access to public services, employment, education and training. In order to support the important contribution made by the Community Transport sector, the Department for Transport has created a £25 million Community Bus Fund. This fund has allowed community transport operators, who meet the necessary criteria, to bid for a new minibus to replace or expand their existing fleet. The Secretary of State for Transport formally launched the fund on 17th November 2014 and we have worked with the Community Transport Association (CTA) to ensure that details of the fund reached as many operators as possible. The bidding process for the Community Bus Fund closed on 15th January 2015 and Department for Transport officials will assess all bids received, before confirming those who have been successful. This fund will assist the community transport sector in continuing to deliver vital services to those communities who may not be served by
accessibility-and-equality-action-plan-2014.docx