Transport Act 1985

36 London bus services under control of London Regional Transport

(1) A London local service licence is not required for the provision of a London bus service—

(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 the [1984 c. 32.] London Regional Transport Act 1984 (referred to below in this section as the 1984 Act).

(2) 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 the 1984 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 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.

(3) In subsection (2) above 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.

(4) 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 the 1984 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 London, consult with the local authorities affected, with the Passengers' Committee and with any other person they think fit

(5) Where an agreement entered into by London Regional Transport by virtue of section 3(2) of the 1984 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 London shall be of no effect if or so far as it is inconsistent with any condition for the time being attached under section 8 of this Act to—

(a) a PSV operator's licence ; or

(b) a permit under section 22 of this Act;

held by the operator of the service.

(6) For the purposes of this section the local authorities affected by any proposal with respect to a bus service are any of the following councils, that is to say, the councils of the London boroughs and the Common Council, in whose area there is situated—

(a) in the case of a proposal to which subsection (2) above applies, any part of the route in question or (as the case may be) the point, place or street in question; or

(b) in the case of a proposal to which subsection (4) above applies, any part of the route of the service.

(7) In this section—

(a) references to a new bus service are references to a bus service which has not been provided continuously since before the date on which this section comes into force (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 Passengers' Committee" means the London Regional Passengers' Committee established under section 40 of the 1984 Act;

(c) " subsidiary " has the same meaning as in that Act;

and section 6(5) of and paragraph 11(4) of Schedule 5 to that Act shall apply to references in this section to an agreement entered into by London Regional Transport by virtue of section 3(2) of that Act as they apply to such references in that Act.