The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has appealed for operators’ help as it compiles evidence to support an extension of further exemptions from PSVAR for certain home to school services.
It is asking both members and non-members to submit details of the home to school services they operate that are not in scope of the exemption. It also wants to know the number of students that each one carries. CPT will then take that anonymised evidence to DfT to highlight the risks to such services that PSVAR poses.
Says Operations Director Keith McNally: “In order for the government to consider wider PSVAR exemptions, it will need to see proof that this is a significant issue.
“Hearsay and anecdotes will not be enough. CPT along with other stakeholders is compiling data on the number of services that will be ineligible for an exemption under the current guidelines to present to DfT.”
Any operator that runs home to school services that are ineligible for exemption can provide data to CPT by downloading an Excel spreadsheet from the News and Events tab on its website homepage at www.cpt-uk.org. It can then be returned to psvar@cpt-uk.org
CPT says it is aware of many home to school services that do not meet the exemption criteria, particularly those contracted by independent and private schools. It has entered a dialogue with the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association to support ongoing discussions with DfT.