Deregulation Act 2015

Transport

49 Removal of restrictions on provision of passenger rail services

(1) In Part 2 of the Transport Act 1968 (integrated transport areas and passenger transport areas), in section 10(1) (general powers of Executive)—

(a) before paragraph (ii) insert—

“(ia) to carry passengers by railway—

(a) where that area is in England, between places in that area, between such places and any place in Great Britain which is outside that area, or between places in Great Britain which are outside that area, or

(b) where that area is in Wales or Scotland, between places in that area or between such places and any place outside that area but within the permitted distance, that is to say, the distance of twenty-five miles from the nearest point on the boundary of that area;”;

(b) in paragraph (ii), for “other form of land transport” substitute “form of land transport other than road or railway”.

(2) Schedule 8 contains—

(a) amendments in consequence of subsection (1), and

(b) further amendments in connection with the provision of passenger rail services.

50 Road traffic legislation: use of vehicles in emergency response by NHS

(1) Section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (exemptions from speed limits), as substituted by section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006, is amended in accordance with subsections (2) and (3).

(2) In subsection (1)—

(a) in paragraph (a), omit “, for ambulance purposes”;

(b) after paragraph (a) insert—

“(aa) it is being used for ambulance purposes or for the purpose of providing a response to an emergency at the request of an NHS ambulance service”;

(c) in paragraph (c), after “paragraph (a)” insert “, (aa)”.

(3) After subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) In subsection (1)(aa), “an NHS ambulance service” means—

(a) an NHS trust or NHS foundation trust established under the National Health Service Act 2006 which has a function of providing ambulance services;

(b) an NHS trust established under the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 which has a function of providing ambulance services;

(c) the Scottish Ambulance Service Board.”

(4) If this section comes into force before section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006, section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as it has effect until section 19 comes into force) is amended as follows.

(5) After subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) Subsection (1) above applies in relation to a vehicle that, although not being used for ambulance purposes, is being used for the purpose of providing a response to an emergency at the request of an NHS ambulance service.

(1B) In subsection (1A), “an NHS ambulance service” means—

(a) an NHS trust or NHS foundation trust established under the National Health Service Act 2006 which has a function of providing ambulance services;

(b) an NHS trust established under the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 which has a function of providing ambulance services;

(c) the Scottish Ambulance Service Board.”

(6) Schedule 9 makes further amendments to road traffic legislation in connection with the use of vehicles in the provision of an emergency response by the NHS.

51 Reduction of burdens relating to the use of roads and railways

Schedule 10 makes provision about the following matters—

(a) the duration of driving licences to be granted to drivers with relevant or prospective disabilities;

(b) permit schemes;

(c) road humps;

(d) pedestrian crossings;

(e) off-road motoring events;

(f) testing of vehicles;

(g) rail vehicle accessibility regulations: exemption orders.

52 Reduction of burdens relating to enforcement of transport legislation

Schedule 11 makes provision about the following matters—

(a) drink and drug driving offences;

(b) bus lane contraventions.

53 Civil penalties for parking contraventions: enforcement

(1) Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 (civil enforcement of traffic contraventions) is amended as follows.

(2) After section 78 (notification of penalty charge) insert—

“78A Notification of penalty charge: parking contraventions in England

(1) Regulations under section 78 must include provision requiring notification of a penalty charge to be given by a notice affixed to the vehicle where the charge is in respect of a parking contravention on a road in a civil enforcement area in England.

(2) The regulations may, however, provide that the requirement does not apply in circumstances specified in the regulations (which may be framed by reference to the type of contravention, the circumstances in which a contravention occurs or in any other way) and, where the regulations so provide, they may make any such alternative provision for notification as is authorised by section 78.”

(3) After section 87 insert—

“87A Power to prohibit use of devices etc: parking contraventions in England

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision to prohibit the use by civil enforcement officers of a device of a description specified in the regulations, or of records produced by such a device, in connection with the enforcement of parking contraventions on a road in a civil enforcement area in England.

(2) The prohibition may be—

(a) general, or

(b) limited to particular uses specified in the regulations.

(3) The regulations may provide that a general or limited prohibition does not apply in circumstances specified in the regulations (which may be framed by reference to the type of contravention, the circumstances in which a contravention occurs or in any other way).

(4) Regulations under this section may amend this Part or any provision made under it.”

54 Removal of restriction on investigation of tramway accidents in Scotland by RAIB

(1) The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 14 (extent of Part 1: investigation of railway accidents by Rail Accident Investigation Branch), omit subsection (2) (which prevents the Part from applying to tramways in Scotland).

(3) In consequence of subsection (2), omit section 1(3).

55 Removal of duty to order re-hearing of marine accident investigations

In section 269(1) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (power to order re-hearing of investigation into marine accident and duty to do so in certain cases)—

(a) omit paragraph (a) (duty to order re-hearing where new and important evidence discovered), and the “or” following it;

(b) in paragraph (b), omit “other”.