(1)Section 130 does not apply in any case where it appears to the authority or authorities that action is urgently required for the purpose of—
(a)maintaining an existing service,
(b)securing the provision of a service in place of a service which has ceased to operate, or
(c)securing the provision of a service to meet any public transport requirement which has arisen unexpectedly and ought in the opinion of the authority to be met without delay.
(2)The appropriate national authority may by regulations make provision for further exceptions from section 130, including in particular with respect to—
(a)cases in which no tender, or no acceptable tender, is submitted in response to an invitation to tender issued under section 130(1) or under any provision made by virtue of subsection (5)(a), and
(b)agreements of a prescribed description.
(3)The appropriate national authority may make regulations fixing the maximum duration of a quality contract entered into under subsection (1) or under any provision made by virtue of subsection (2).
(4)The appropriate national authority may by regulations make further provision with respect to exceptions from section 130.
(5)Regulations under subsection (4) may in particular—
(a)require authorities to invite tenders for the provision of a service which is the subject of a quality contract made under subsection (1) or under any provision made by virtue of subsection (2), and
(b)require authorities to publish prescribed information (including as to their reasons for entering into particular quality contracts) or to give notices.