London Regional Transport Act 1984

43 Regulation of London bus services under control of London Regional Transport

(1) A road service licence is not required for the provision—

(a) by London Regional Transport or any subsidiary of theirs; or

(b) by any other person in pursuance of any agreement entered into by London Regional Transport by virtue of section 3(2) of this Act;

of any bus service operated wholly as a London bus service.

(2) Where a road service licence is granted in respect of a bus service—

(a) provided as mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1) above; but

(b) operated in part only as a London bus service ;

no condition shall be attached to the licence with respect to the carriage of passengers who are both taken up and set down in Greater London.

(3) Where—

(a) London Regional Transport or any subsidiary of theirs propose to provide a new bus service which is to be operated wholly or in part as a London bus service or to vary a bus service currently provided by them which is being so operated ; or

(b) London Regional Transport propose to enter into an agreement by virtue of section 3(2) of this Act for the provision of such a new bus service by any other person or to agree to a variation in any bus service currently provided in pursuance of any such agreement which is being so operated ;

then, before deciding on, or on the provisions to be contained in any such agreement with respect to, or on any variation affecting, any relevant aspects of that service London Regional Transport shall, so far as the service is or is to be provided in Greater London, consult with the commissioner or commissioners of police concerned, with the local authorities affected, with the Passengers' Committee and with any other person they think fit.

(4) In subsection (3) above—

(a) references to a new bus service are references to a bus service which has not been provided continuously since before the appointed day (disregarding, in the case of a bus service operated during certain periods of the year only, any period other than one during which the service is due to be operated);

(b) the reference to relevant aspects of the service is a reference to the route of the service, a terminal point, a point at which passengers may or may not be taken up or set down, or a place at which, or street by the use of which, vehicles used for the service may turn at a terminal point; and

(c) "commissioner of police" means, in relation to the metropolitan police district, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and, in relation to the City of London, the Commissioner of Police for the City of London;

and for the purposes of that subsection the local authorities affected are the Greater London Council and any of the following councils, that is to say, the councils of the London boroughs and the Common Council, in whose area any part of the route in question or (as the case may be) the point, place or street in question is situated.

(5) Where—

(a) London Regional Transport or any subsidiary of theirs propose to discontinue a bus service currently provided by them which is being operated wholly or in part as a London bus service ; or

(b) London Regional Transport propose not to renew any agreement entered into by them by virtue of section 3(2) of this Act for the provision by any other person of any bus service which is being so operated or to agree to the discontinuance of any such bus service currently provided in pursuance of any such agreement;

then, before any decision is taken to that effect, London Regional Transport shall, so far as the service is provided in Greater London, consult with the Greater London Council, with any of the following councils, that is to say, the councils of the London boroughs and the Common Council, in whose area any part of the route of the service is situated, with the Passengers' Committee and with any other person they think fit.

(6) Where an agreement entered into by London Regional Transport by virtue of section 3(2) of this Act for the provision of a bus service relates to such a service part only of which is operated as a London bus service, any provision contained in that agreement with respect to the carriage of passengers other than those who are both taken up and set down in Greater London shall be of no effect if or so far as it is inconsistent with any condition for the time being attached to any road service licence under which the bus service is provided.

(7) In this section—

• " bus service " means a service for the carriage of passengers by road for which a road service licence is required, or would but for subsection (1) above be required, other than an excursion or tour within the meaning of the [1981 c. 14.] Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981; and

• " London bus service " means a bus service which is, or so far as it is, a service on which passengers may be taken up and set down at different places within Greater London, whether or not any passengers on that service may also be taken up or set down outside Greater London.