Clause 50
Local Transport Bill [Lords]
4:30 pm
Greg Knight (East Yorkshire, Conservative)
I have raised this matter with the Minister before. She gave me an encouraging reply, but I should like it to be placed on the record again, particularly as clause 50 relates to the carrying of passengers in wheelchairs in vehicles providing local services, and clause 51 contains supplementary provisions. I should declare an interest as chairman of the all-party historic vehicles group, but I should like the Minister again to confirm that nothing in clause 50 or clause 51 can be used to prevent historic vehicles from carrying members of the public as part of a balanced passenger transport division. That is particularly important for tourist areas where historic vehicles—some of them are not even powered by the internal combustion engine; some are steam vehicles—are still used to carry passengers. It would be an over-the-top, heavy-handed approach if they were caught by this provision.