Local Transport Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 82: 82: After Clause 110, insert the following new Clause— ““Charging schemes: exemptions (1) In subsection (1) of section 172 of the TA 2000, omit ““may”” and insert ““shall””. (2) In sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 11 of Schedule 23 to the GLA Act 1999, omit ““may”” and insert ““shall””.”” The noble Lord said: The purpose of the amendment is to require that the appropriate national authority is obliged to issue regulations concerning exemptions. There is a class of disabled people for whom using the car is not optional. In particular, blue badge holders cannot be expected not to use their cars for journeys of less than one mile, nor is it likely that they will readily be able to use public transport. Blind and partially sighted people who are not themselves drivers have considerably restricted mobility and may be similarly dependent on the car. Furthermore, they do not necessarily qualify for a blue badge, certainly in the case of partially sighted people. I am supportive of the principle of local road user charging provided that, as stated in paragraph 4.82 of volume 4 of the regulatory impact assessments of the draft local Bill consultation, disabled people can benefit from the revenues raised and those disabled people who rely on the private car for their mobility, including many blind and partially sighted people, are given an exemption. I welcome the guidance that supports the need to consult disabled people. I note that it will no longer be a requirement for the Secretary of State to approve schemes, including details of any exemptions. I also welcome the fact that guidance on exemptions and discounts will be produced. I am concerned that by removing the requirement for Secretary of State approval, local authorities may produce exemption schemes for disabled people that do not meet the needs of all those who, because of their impairment, are unable to use public transport and are reliant on a private car for their mobility, either as a driver or a passenger. For example, in London the exemption from the congestion charge is based on the possession of a blue badge, but partially sighted people who struggle with public transport do not automatically qualify for a blue badge. As the Secretary of State’s permissive power under the Transport Act 2000 and the GLA Act to prescribe exemptions from road charging has not been exercised, the amendment provides that the appropriate national authorities be put under a duty to make regulations concerning exemptions. I welcome the assurance from the Minister, Rosie Winterton, in a letter to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association that the Government will take stakeholders’ views into account and that local authorities introducing road user charging will be subject to the provisions of disability discrimination legislation. However, Durham city has already introduced a scheme without exemptions for disabled people—I understand that another is planned in Cambridge—and with the removal of the Secretary of State’s approval for road charging schemes, it will be even harder to enforce good practice if there are no regulations specifying minimum exemptions for disabled people. I beg to move.