Clause 2
Local Transport Bill [Lords]
11:00 am
Stephen Hammond (Shadow Minister, Transport; Wimbledon, Conservative)
The first set of amendments, certainly amendments 17 and 18, fall into the probing category. We regard large parts of part 1 of the Bill as uncontroversial. It makes some changes to the current structure of the traffic commissioner network. Traffic commissioners do a good job and, within some constrictions, are generally perceived to be doing decent jobs—in some areas, very well, in others, not so—and any plans that will enhance the work they do has our support. At present there is one traffic commissioner for each of the eight traffic areas—western, north-eastern, north-western, west midlands, Wales, eastern, south-eastern and metropolitan, and Scotland—and the Bill seeks to change that arrangement.
The traffic areas, with the exception of Scotland, while existing in the sense that they are there, will cease to exist to the extent that the Secretary of State can, or will, appoint as many traffic commissioners as she sees fit and then it is up to the senior traffic commissioner, to whom we will come later in the debate, to tell them what to do and where to do it. The proposal does not link, as previously, traffic commissioners with traffic areas and I want to understand the thinking behind it. Most guidance and discussion about traffic commissioners has focused on the new powers they are to be granted under the Bill rather than on the new network of traffic commissioners. I want to hear from the Minister the rationale behind the changes and how, in practice, even if the Secretary of State wanted to appoint more traffic commissioners than there are areas—which in many ways would be a good thing—it would help by not aligning at least one traffic commissioner with an area.
In the opening remarks about consultation and representation, the issue of regional representation was mentioned. At the moment, each traffic area has one traffic commissioner and although that system may be far from ideal—in the north-west, I understand, from Liverpool all the way to Leeds, there is only one traffic commissioner and two staff—it at least ensures that there is some certainty of a dedicated traffic commissioner for a dedicated area. Under the new system, that seems no longer to be the case.
The relationship between a local authority, local passenger groups, the local bus operator and the regional traffic commissioner will be lost. Different traffic commissioners could be appointed by the senior traffic commissioner to deal with different cases in the area at different times, so yet again the benefit of local knowledge and experience would be lost.
The purpose of my amendment is to provide that each of the existing traffic areas will have at least one traffic commissioner. The Secretary of State would retain the flexibility to appoint as many traffic commissioners as she sees fit. Presumably, if I understand the later parts of the Bill, on the guidance of the senior traffic commissioner she can appoint as many traffic commissioners as she wants, but at least one of them should be dedicated to one of the current regions. That process has all sorts of merits that it would be disappointing to lose.
Amendment No. 28 is consequential on amendments Nos. 17 and 18 and needs to be seen in that context. If I understand amendment No. 149, it is about what is appropriate. We need a regional traffic commissioner for regional areas. My only concern about the amendment is that it could leave the Secretary of State too much discretion. The principle of “no fewer than” is correct, but I do not know whether seven is the right number. At least “no fewer than” gives the possibility that a senior traffic commissioner could direct to those areas in England and Wales a dedicated traffic commissioner.
It seems that there is an overriding and overwhelming benefit in the current system. The Bill will provide benefit by allowing the Secretary of State to appoint more traffic commissioners than there are areas, so I hope that the Minister will consider amendment No. 17 in the spirit that it would genuinely enhance local consultation, local representation and the effectiveness of the traffic network.