ANNEX
LIST OF LETTERS INCLUDED IN ANNEX
1. Letter from Head of Division, Railways Sponsorship,
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to the
Clerk of the Committee, dated 10 June
2. Letter from the Head of Taxi Policy Branch, Department
of the Environment Transport and the Regions to the Clerk of
the Committee, dated 22 June
Letter from the Head of Division, Railways Sponsorship,
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to the
Clerk of the Committee
You will recall that I agreed in my letter of 9 February to consult
on the Deregulation Committee's suggestion that train operators
should be restricted to using only buses and taxis for substitute
rail services.
In view of the Deregulation Committee's concerns about the use
of private hire vehicles, you will be pleased to note that the
Association of Train Operating companies (ATOC) has confirmed
that most train operators do not use private hire vehicles but
operate the previous British Railways Board arrangements of using
only buses and taxis for substitute rail services. However, train
operators in rural areas often have no real alternative to using
private hire vehicles, particularly when dealing with unexpected
incidents; and in such cases private hire vehicles will be licensed
by local authorities in essentially the same way as taxis. Where
planned engineering work is involved, buses and coaches are normally
used for substitute services.
ATOC has also confirmed that, where private hire vehicles have
been used, no problems have been encountered. Train operators
tend to enter into "call off" contracts with road vehicle
operators after taking into account their working practices ie
policy on drivers hours, servicing and accident records, and insurance
arrangements, etc. ATOC therefore takes the view that it is not
necessary to seek to negotiate a voluntary code of practice restricting
train operators to using only buses and taxis.
Given that there is no evidence of problems occurring where private
hire vehicles are used, and in view of the safety checks carried
out by train operators, it seems to Ministers, too, that a voluntary
Code of Practice is unnecessary. Indeed, the introduction of
a Code of Practice might actually be disadvantageous to passengers
in rural areas if it hampered the provision of alternative services.
Therefore, we agree with ATOC that attempting to negotiate a
voluntary Code of Practice restricting train operators to using
only buses and taxis for substitute services is unnecessary.
10 June 1998
Letter from the Head of Taxi Policy Branch, Department
of the Environment Transport and the Regions to the Clerk of the
Committee
I confirm that the Department has not received any representations
about the proposal to recognise driving licences issued under
the Northern Ireland legislation for taxi and private hire vehicle
purposes since the Committees' Reports were published.
22 June 1998
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