Bus driver Prosecutions

1) How many drivers in your area have been prosecuted for failing to operate the ramp in such situations in the past year?

Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard and do not operate local bus services. Drivers on local bus services in the County are employed by the bus companies who operate the services. 80% of bus services are operated with no contractual involvement from the County Council. The other 20% are operated by bus companies under contract to the County Council.
Therefore, we do not have the information requested.

2) How many complaints have you had about drivers’ failure to comply with their criminal duty to operate the ramp in the past year?

One – this being a complaint about a company (not a specific driver) running under contract to the County Council.

3) How do you ensure that drivers’ crimes in this specific are punished according to the law?

Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard. If appropriate, the County Council would refer the complainant to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency. In the case of the complaint referred to in Question 2, the contract with the bus company was terminated.

4) How many times do you give warnings to a driver before prosecuting them or instigating such prosecutions?

Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard. It therefore does not prosecute drivers nor instigate such prosecutions. If appropriate, the County Council would refer the complainant to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency. Complaints on subsidized services may result in action against the bus company within the terms of the County Council contract (see answers to Questions 2 and 3).

5) What impact does such prosecution have on a driver’s career?

This question should be referred to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency.

6) Please supply your procedure for identifying, reporting and prosecuting drivers that have committed this crime.

As Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard it does not prosecute drivers. Any complaints on contracted local bus services are dealt with within the terms of the contract (see answers to Questions 2 and 3). If appropriate, the County Council would refer complaints on other services to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency.

7) In the last year, how many drivers in your area have been prosecuted for failing to allow a wheelchair user to board even though the wheelchair space is physically empty?

Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard.
See answer to Question 1.
We do not hold this information

8) In the last year, how many drivers in your area have been prosecuted for failing to allow a wheelchair user to board even though passengers and/or their effects in the wheelchair space could readily and easily move to another part of the bus?

See answer to Question 1.

9) In the last year, how many drivers in your area have been prosecuted for failing to allow a wheelchair user to board, without the driver investigating to determine whether passengers or their effects occupying the wheelchair space could readily and easily vacate it by moving to another part of the vehicle?

See answer to Question 1.

10) How do you ensure that drivers’ crimes in this area are punished according to the law?

Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard and would not ‘punish drivers according to the law.’ Any complaints on contracted local bus services are dealt with within the terms of the contract (see Questions 2 and 3). If appropriate, the County Council would refer complaints on other services to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency.

11) How many times do you give warnings to a driver before prosecuting them or instigating such prosecutions?

Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard and does not prosecute drivers nor instigate such prosecutions. Any complaints on contracted local bus services are dealt with within the terms of the contract (see Questions 2 and 3). If appropriate, the County Council would refer complaints on other services to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency.

12) What impact does such prosecution have on a driver’s career?

Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard. This question should be referred to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency

13) Please supply your procedure for identifying, reporting and prosecuting drivers that have committed this crime.

Devon County Council is not the statutory authority in this regard. It therefore does not prosecute drivers. Any complaints on contracted local bus services are dealt with within the terms of the contract (see Questions 2 and 3). If appropriate, the County Council would refer complaints on other services to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency

14) How many bus drivers in your area have been prosecuted for other criminal offences committed whilst driving, for e.g. speeding, jumping the lights, stopping in boxed junctions and similar, in the past year?

This question should be referred either to the police or to each bus company operating local bus services in the County.

We do not hold the information requested.

15) What is the impact on drivers of such prosecutions?

This question should be referred to the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency.