Clause 13
Local Transport Bill [Lords]
1:00 pm
Rosie Winterton (Minister of State, Department for Transport; Doncaster Central, Labour)
I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s explanation of the intention behind the amendment, which was not terribly clear to us at first sight. He is probably quite right in saying that there is a certain moving around of the words and I shall explain why.
Under the 2000 Act, before making a quality partnership scheme, the local authority must be satisfied that the provision of the facilities under the scheme and the provision of bus services to the specified standard will meet one of two requirements. They must either improve the quality of local services by bringing benefits to passengers or they must reduce or limit congestion, noise or air pollution. It is true that, on reflection, the wording in the current legislation seems slightly odd because it is quite difficult to see how services can be improved by bringing benefits to passengers. Surely, it should be the other way round: benefits are brought to passengers by improving services. In effect, the Bill changes that wording around. The amendment would revert back to the original slightly odd wording.
I hope that right hon. and hon. Members agree that the new wording makes better sense and rightly puts the immediate focus on how schemes can be used to benefit passengers. I hope that helps to clarify the position for the hon. Gentleman and that he will withdraw his amendment.