Further
to Peter Viggers’ question to the Secretary of State
for Transport requesting a statement on the Mobility Advice & Vehicle
Information Service (MAVIS), he has now received an interim
response from Transport Minister, Stephen Twigg.
The
Minister states in his reply:
“The Department for Transport’s
mobility centre, the Mobility Advice and Vehicle Information
Service (MAVIS) holds a lease of part of ‘O’ Wing
at the Crowthorne Business Estate at Crowthorne in Berkshire
at an open market rent which expires on 30 March 2011.
The lease is protected under the Landlord & Tenant
Act 1954 which gives, in some circumstances, the right
to extend the lease. A track agreement with a different
lessor is held by MAVIS nearby to the ‘O’ Wing
property.
“Ten staff are currently employed at the
MAVIS with one vacancy due to be filled shortly. The MAVIS
as an organisation does not train disabled drivers but
assesses older and disabled drivers and passengers. Over
the last five years it has carried out on average 507 driving
and passenger assessments per year. The MAVIS currently
has 30 vehicles, the majority adapted for the assessment
of drivers with disabilities, but we do not record separately
the number of miles driven on the highway compared to those
driven on the Small Road System.
“We are investigating
whether it is possible to remain at the Crowthorne sites
and considering alternative sites for the MAVIS. This work
is still continuing but alternative sites that have been
considered so far include sites in Lee-on-the-Solent, Winchester,
Arborfield, Salisbury and Winfrith.
“We
have not held any discussions with local authorities or
local representative bodies.”
Further
information will be issued when a full response is received
from the Department for Transport. |
