At the beginning of July, the Department for Transport finally shared confirmation of the details for the 2026 exemptions from PSVAR, following the letter by Simon Lightwood MP, Minister for Roads and Buses, at the beginning of June.
There has clearly been a lot of thought given to what this next set of exemptions look like. I am pleased to say that some of the suggestions put forward by the UK Coach Operators Association (UKCOA) – and also, I suspect, by our fellow trade bodies — have been adopted. However, there are challenges that the industry will face going forward, including a number of stipulations for exemption holders.
Firstly, it is no surprise that coaches used on rail replacement services are no longer covered by the exemptions. From 1 August, any coach used on a rail replacement service must be fully PSVAR compliant. In practice, I suspect that we will see more buses on rail replacement if coaches are not available, but I would guess that coach operators for whom rail replacement work is an important source of income have already made the necessary arrangements.
Secondly, although there is no specific requirement to increase the number of compliant vehicles on closed-door home-to-school transport work compared to the requirements in this last period of the old medium-term exemptions (which ran from 1 August 2025-31 July), there is a sting in the tail. The guidance states that the 2026 exemptions will last ‘for four years and will expire on 31 July 2030’, and that government currently has ‘no plans to issue further exemptions beyond 1 August 2030’.
If I was a coach operator, I would take this seriously. Although the words ‘no plans’ give some comfort, I would not rely on a generous interpretation of this and would continue to upgrade my vehicles to increase the percentage used on home-to-school work that meets PSVAR requirements, as I would have done since 2022.
Finally, from 1 February 2027, exemption holders must ensure new coaches used for any purpose (with a few exceptions) are PSVAR enabled if they carry more than 22 passengers. That includes coaches first registered on or after the February date or pre-registered from 1 August this year but not delivered until 1 February 2027 or afterwards. PSVAR-enabled means that a coach:
- Must meet the main PSVAR accessibility standards, including a wheelchair space and signage
- Does not necessarily have a lift installed, but:
- Must have a ramp, or
- Be built so a lift can be easily installed later, without major structural changes to the coach
- Does not necessarily have destination blinds installed but is constructed in a way that allows destination blinds to be installed readily without major structural changes to the coach.
There are a few exemptions, which can be found on the gov.uk website.
Within time, this will facilitate an increase in the number of fully compliant coaches. If you are applying for an exemption and have a coach on order for delivery next year, check with your vehicle manufacturer now to ensure it meets these requirements.
Sadly, nothing is said about a redesign of PSVAR, or measures to deal with infrastructure outside the coach that enables a lift to be deployed. I will cover these issues next time.
