Local Transport Bill [HL]

I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Low, for his explanation of the purpose and thinking behind the amendment. As the noble Lord has said, the Transport Act 2000 provides the appropriate national authority with the ability to set regulations on exemptions and discounts, and on limiting the charges that local authorities are able to introduce. At this time, we do not think it appropriate to change the legislation to compel the appropriate national authority to make regulations. I shall set out briefly why that is the case. On limiting the charges that local authorities are able to introduce, we believe that it is right for the local authority to propose its own charge level. After careful modelling of the congestion problem, an authority will be best placed to set the charge level that is most appropriate for tackling the problems in its local area. We would not want to set an arbitrary price for all schemes across the country when there is a need for difference, which will depend on location, scheme design and scheme objectives. Exemptions and discounts from local road pricing schemes are, in the first instance, a matter for the local authorities considering introducing such schemes. We have been clear to those authorities bidding for transport innovation fund money that pricing structures should be justified against the objectives of the scheme, and that the impacts on congestion and value for money should be understood. As part of any stakeholder engagement on a road pricing scheme that a local authority undertakes, it will be important for it to address the exemptions and discounts that a scheme offers. Interested parties will have an opportunity to make their views and any concerns known through the consultation process. It will be especially important for local authorities, as part of the development of a scheme, to assess the impact of the scheme on different groups, including, in particular, those with a disability. In developing local road pricing schemes, local authorities will also wish to ensure that they observe their duties under the Disability Discrimination Acts. That should ensure that disabled people are not unfairly treated through the introduction of a scheme. The Transport Act 2000 already allows for national exemptions. However, we have yet to make decisions on whether, and if so how, we might exercise those powers. It may be more appropriate to issue guidance to local authorities. Section 193 allows the appropriate national authority to issue guidance to charging authorities and the authorities must have regard to it when exercising their functions. This may be a more suitable method of setting out what approach we would expect local authorities to follow. The noble Lord, Lord Low, mentioned the need to have a national debate, which I guess is part of what we are doing today. We are very committed to taking into account the views of interested parties as we progress these issues. The department believes that there are a limited number of scheme users where exemptions and discounts might be appropriate. This is an area where we seek to develop consistency and interoperability, and we will take stakeholders’ views into account as we progress these issues. We will also be looking at the best way of achieving such aims. That could include issuing guidance on the manner in which exemptions and discounts to a scheme should be administered. We aim to have completed such work well in advance of the introduction of any local road-pricing schemes so that the public and the scheme operator can be clear on what is envisaged. We therefore think it unnecessary to specify in the Bill that the appropriate national authority must make regulations. This is a debate we have already had in several different ways. We seek to get the benefit of providing locally for local authorities to shape schemes that they envisage working in their area, and devolving as much of the responsibility for those schemes as possible to them. Of course, we have to accept that this must operate within a framework. What the noble Lord seeks through exemptions may well best be served by having those exemptions exercised and thought through at a local level. That is where people will better understand those issues. That of course means that those exemptions must fall into part of a range of exemptions nationally outlined in general terms. The best way to achieve that end is not through legislation, or at least not by putting it in the Bill, nor by retaining the power as the noble Lord has argued.