Provision of service by provider of last resort
Section 18: Qualification of duty in respect of services funded by others
96.Section 18 limits the circumstances in which, if a franchise ends and is not replaced with another franchise, the relevant franchising authority is required to continue to provide the services as the "operator of last resort". The "operator of last resort" function is in section 30 of the 1993 Act (which is amended by this Act). The limitation is that the operator of last resort need not provide services that were funded under the franchise agreement in question by the NAW, a PTE or TfL if it believes that that party will not supply it with the necessary funds. The section gives the operator of last resort the discretion to decide not to provide the services if he believes the funding will not be forthcoming - i.e. before he falls short of the necessary funding. The relevant franchising authority, and therefore operator of last resort, for the purposes of this section is the Secretary of State for franchises in England and Wales, or the Scottish Ministers for Scottish franchises.