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Road Safety Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 43:"After Clause 38, insert the following new clause—" ““LIMOUSINES (1)   The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (c. 14) is amended as follows. (2)   In section 13(1) (classification of licences), omit the word ““either”” and before the word ““or”” insert ““limousine licence””. (3)   After subsection (1) insert— ““(1A)   A limousine licence authorises the use (whether on national or international operations) of— (a)   limousines not adapted to carry more than eight passengers, or (b)   limousines not adapted to carry more than sixteen passengers.”” (4)   After section 13 insert— ““13A   DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF LIMOUSINES    Subject to the provisions of this section, in this Act ““limousines”” means a motor vehicle which being a vehicle not adapted to carry more than sixteen passengers, is used in the course of a business for the purposes of carrying passengers with the services of a driver for hire and reward where the arrangements for the payment of fares by the passenger or passengers carried are made before the journey began.”” ““13B   ADAPTED LIMOUSINE (1)   A limousine adapted to carry more than eight passengers shall not be used on a road unless an examiner appointed under section 66A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 has issued a certificate (to be referred to as a limousine certificate) that the prescribed conditions as to fitness are fulfilled in respect of the vehicle. (2)   If a vehicle is used in contravention of subsection (1) above, the operator of the vehicle shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.”” (5)   Sections 8, 10 and 11 of Part II shall apply to limousines adapted to carry more than eight passengers. (6)   Section 12 of Part II shall apply to a limousine operators’ licences.”””” The noble Lord said: My Lords, the Minister will be pleased to hear that this is a probing amendment which we certainly do not wish to press to a Division. It concerns the issue of what are known as ““stretch limousines””. These are the huge white vehicles that you see cruising around the streets. If you go to places such as Blackpool or Brighton, you will see even longer ones with even more people in them, who are notable for their consumption of alcohol and the few clothes they wear. This is an unregulated section of road traffic vehicle legislation and the object of the amendment is to ask the Minister whether it is the Government’s intention to introduce regulation into this sector, particularly in regard to the number of people who can be conveyed in the vehicles and the total length of vehicle allowed. These vehicles tend to get longer and longer and to carry more and more people. There must be a limit somewhere. I beg to move.