CPT welcomes PSVAR Call for Evidence

Responding to the news that DfT has announced a Call for Evidence in relation to PSVAR, Keith McNally, CPT’s Operations Director, said: “Now is the ideal time to consider what happens when the Medium-Term Exemptions for PSVAR end in 2026. As the trusted voice of the coach sector, we are pleased to be responding to the DfT’s call for evidence on behalf of our members.

“The key principles that our Coach Commission has agreed are:

• All ‘open-door’ services would be required to comply – in effect, the situation as it is now, were the exemptions not in place
• All ‘closed-door’ regular services (school and other services where the passengers are known in advance) required to comply where a passenger has an accessibility need (i.e. ‘on demand’)
• The payment of ‘separate fares’ shouldn’t be a factor in determining whether a service is ‘in scope’ or not

“However, the Call for Evidence goes to the very heart of the Regulations and covers bus as well as coach. CPT looks forward to responding to DfT’s call and working through the detailed questions with members.”