Clause 38
Local Transport Bill [Lords]
12:00 pm
Stephen Hammond (Shadow Minister, Transport; Wimbledon, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 223, in clause 38, page 34, line 8, after ‘authority’, insert
‘, the Senior Traffic Commissioner, and the Public Transport Users’ Committee’.
I regard clause 38 as slightly ominous. It deals with the whole issue of guidance and what may or may not be in guidance, regulations and the Bill. Proposed new section 134A of the Transport Act 2000 states:
“The appropriate national authority may issue guidance concerning the performance by local transport authorities of their functions under this Part in relation to quality contracts schemes”.
Inevitably, it goes on to say:
“Those authorities must have regard to any such guidance”.
This morning, the Minister has been helpful to our understanding of the Bill and its language, and I am sure that she will be helpful again now. However, I am unsure that she will be able to satisfy us why only the “appropriate national authority” will be able to issue the guidance.
I am not suggesting that every body should be allowed to issue guidance to which local authorities must have regard. That would clearly be unsustainable. However, but two bodies in addition to the “appropriate national authority” are competent and qualified enough to issue guidance: first, the senior traffic commissioner, whose functions include the registration of bus services and the overview of bus services in local areas; and, secondly, the public transport users’ committee, which is the dedicated passenger watchdog.
We should remind ourselves that the guidance is about the performance of local authorities in respect of quality contracts. As has been discussed, the stated aim of quality contracts schemes is to bring about improvements for bus users. Who better to judge whether that aim is being achieved than bus users themselves, through the organisation set up to represent them? Another stated aim of the quality contract is to ensure that other bus services will not be adversely affected. Who better to pass judgment in relation to that criterion than the traffic commissioner?
Beyond the appropriate national authority, the senior traffic commissioner and the public transport users’ committee could offer useful, appropriate and constructive advice to local authorities when carrying out their function of regulating bus services, particularly in this part of the Bill. The thrust of the amendment is to say to local authorities that there are two other bodies beyond the appropriate national authority that could help them to formulate better policies.
I hope that the Minister will accept that the senior traffic commissioner and the public transport users’ committee are experts; they are independent and qualified and they should be able to issue guidance to local authorities on this matter, which rightly falls within their remit. That would help local authorities and ultimately, help passengers by encouraging local authorities to ensure, by having regard to what they have said, that the bus services for passengers will be better. I hope the Minister will accept the amendment.