ANNEX (continued)
Letter from Head of Division, Railways
Sponsorship, Department of the Environment, Transport and the
Regions to the Clerk of the Committee
I am replying in view of my responsibilities for
railway matters.
As to whether the requirements to use only public
service vehicles or taxis should have been passed on to the train
operating companies (TOCs) you will understand that I cannot comment
on advice which might have been put to Ministers in the previous
administration. Now that the franchise agreements have been signed,
the question whether or not to use minicabs for substitute services
would be a matter for each TOC to decide, in the light of its
individual circumstances. In reaching that decision, the TOC
would no doubt take into account the requirement in the franchise
agreement to have regard to safety, in the light of the fact that
London minicabs are not regulated (whereas minicab drivers almost
everywhere else are subject to the same criminal record checks
as taxi drivers).
I am grateful to the Deregulation Committee for its
suggestion that the previous statutory provisions might be passed
on to TOCs. A revised regime could be brought in through a Code
of Practice which would be on a voluntary basis. We will take
up that suggestion with the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising,
the Office of the Rail Regulator and the Association of Train
Operating Companies.
9 February 1998
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