Bus Services Act – Draft Regulations and Guidance (E)
Proposed amendments to draft regulations that boost partnership working between bus operators and local authorities and introduce new local franchising powers have been published by the Dept for Transport, together with its response to feedback from the opening consultation on the wide-ranging Bus Services Bill (February 2017).*
‘Bus Services Act 2017: Response to the Consultation on Draft Regulations and Guidance’ (5 September) details the feedback and explains the proposed amendments to the 9 sets of draft regulations that, among other issues, cover
- advanced Quality Partnership Schemes, which will replace existing Quality Partnership Schemes
- franchising Service Permits, under which bus operators can provide local bus services in franchised areas
- franchising Transitional Provisions, which apply where an authority opts to implement franchising for specified services and bus operators bid to provide the services
- enhanced Partnerships, which allow authorities and bus operators to agree their own plans for improvements
Draft guidance in the consultation includes
- how authorities should conduct an assessment of their franchising scheme
- how authorities should approach enhanced partnerships
- competition considerations
Additional regulations will be published later this year.
* ‘Improving Local Bus Services’ (CPA News, 13 February 2017).