GoSkills calls for skills targets in local transport bill

Go Skills

Tuesday, 10, Jul 2007 12:00

Sector Skills Council gives evidence to Commons Transport Select Committee

GoSkills, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Passenger Transport, has called on the Government to include provision for setting skills development targets for drivers and other customer-facing staff in the Local Transport Bill, as between passenger transport executives and bus operators.

GoSkills’ recommendation came in written and oral evidence presented recently to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee. GoSkills also suggested making enhanced arrangements for skills in taxi and private hire, including the attainment of a uniform minimum level of skills, a requirement for obtaining taxi and private hire licences, and continuing training for further professional development.

Peter Huntington, GoSkills’ Chief Executive, said: “Obviously skills are important to the passenger experience and the Bill itself seeks to address quality through improved partnerships between operators and PTAs, here is an area where partnership would be especially beneficial.”

Mr Huntington also said that the taxi and private hire industries had no consistent national approach to skills and that the draft Bill offered an opportunity to have a public discussion on the issue. Responding to a question from Chairman Gwyneth Dunwoody on how training might be funded, he said: “We are negotiating with the Learning and Skills Council in England to make funding available for self-employed drivers through the Train to Gain scheme. ESOL and basic skills training, I think, under the Government’s new arrangements, will continue to be free of charge to the user where they are supported on an individual basis.”

Mr Huntington went on to say that two things needed to be done; firstly, that the bar to entry to the industry should be raised by having skills requirements built into the licensing process; and secondly, to have ongoing training and challenge people to attain that level. This would, he said, start to improve quality and improve the image of the industry, thus leading it to play its full part in the local transport mix.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

1. GoSkills received its licence to operate as the Sector Skills Council for Passenger Transport from the Sector Skills Development Agency in October 2004. Its mission is to be the leading authority on skills issues for the passenger transport sector. For its first two years of licensed operation it received a high grading from the SSDA in the annual assessments.

2. GoSkills sector coverage encompasses the following industries and professions:

• Aviation (airlines, airports and ground handlers)

• Bus

• Coach

• Taxi and Private Hire

• Community Transport

• Rail

• Trams

• Driver Training

• Transport Planning