Transport Act 1968

Assistance for bus and ferry services U.K.

32 New bus grants. E+W+S

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Minister may, with the approval of the Treasury, make in such cases as he thinks fit a grant to any person operating public service vehicles in Great Britain towards approved capital expenditure incurred by that person in providing a new vehicle of a type approved for the purposes of this section by the Minister, being a vehicle which is provided for use by that person [F1 wholly or mainly in the operation of bus services] in Great Britain and which first becomes available to that person for such use on or after such date, not being earlier than 1st September 1968, as the Minister may by order specify.

(2) In the foregoing subsection—

(a) the expression “approved capital expenditure” means expenditure appearing to the Minister to be of a capital nature and approved by him for the purposes of grant under this section;

(b) the expression “expenditure” in relation to the provision by a person of a vehicle includes—

(i) expenditure consisting of instalments under a hire-purchase agreement within the meaning of the M1 Hire-Purchase Act 1965 or, as the case may be, the M2 Hire-Purchase (Scotland) Act 1965, or otherwise consisting of instalments of or payments towards the purchase price of, or cost of providing, the vehicle; and

(ii) where the vehicle is provided by being manufactured or wholly or partly constructed by that person, such sum as appears to the Minister to be properly attributable to its provision by him in that manner;

(c) the expression “new” means unused and not second-hand.

[F2 (d) “bus service” has the same meaning as in section 92 of the M3 Finance Act 1965].

(3) In making any grant under this section in respect of any vehicle the Minister shall impose such conditions for securing that the vehicle will be used as mentioned in subsection (1) of this section, and may impose such other conditions, as he thinks fit; and those conditions may include conditions for repayment in specified circumstances.

(4) Subject to subsection (5) of this section, the amount of any grant under this section shall be twenty-five per cent. of the approved capital expenditure in respect of which it is granted, and no amount by way of such a grant shall be paid in respect of a vehicle which first becomes available for such use as is mentioned in subsection (1) of this section after the date of the expiration of the period of seven years beginning with the date specified under the said subsection (1).

(5) The Minister may by order made with the consent of the Treasury—

(a) vary, as respects any vehicle first becoming available for such use as is mentioned in subsection (1) of this section on or after such date as may be specified in the order, the percentage specified in subsection (4) of this section; or

(b) amend the said subsection (4) by substituting for the date of the expiration of the period there mentioned such later date as may be specified in the order;

but no order shall be made under this subsection unless a draft thereof has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.

(6) The provisions of Schedule 8 to this Act shall have effect for the purpose of avoiding fraudulent applications for grant under this section and of securing the observance of any conditions attached to any such grant.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by Transport Act 1980 (c. 34, SIF 126), s. 62(2)(a)

F2 S. 32(2)(d) inserted by Transport Act 1980 (c. 34, SIF 126), s. 62(2)(b)

Marginal Citations

M1 1965 c. 66.

M2 1965 c. 67.

M3 1965 c. 25.

33 (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3

(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4

(3) So much of subsection (9) of the said section 92 as enables the Parliament of Northern Ireland to make laws for purposes similar to the purposes of the provisions of that section shall apply to those provisions as amended by subsection (1) of this section.

Textual Amendments

F3 S. 33(1) omitted by virtue of Finance Act 1974 (c. 30, SIF 126), s. 54(1)

F4 S. 33(2) repealed by Transport London Act 1969 (c. 35, SIF 126), Sch. 6

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 The text of s. 33(3), which is spent, is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.

34 Assistance for rural bus or ferry services. E+W

(1) Any of the following councils, namely the council or any county,. . . F5 or [F6 district] in England or Wales, any county, town or district council in Scotland, and the Council of the Isles of Scilly, or any two or more of those councils acting jointly, may, on such conditions, if any, as they think fit, afford assistance to any other person, by way of grant, loan or both, for the purpose of securing the provision, improvement or continuance of any. . . F7 ferry service if in the opinion of the council or councils in question that service is or will be for the benefit of persons residing in rural areas.

[F8 (1A) The Council of the Isles of Scilly may, on such conditions, if any, as they think fit, afford assistance to any other person, by way of grant, loan or both, for the purpose of securing the provision, improvement or continuance of any bus service if in the opinion of that Council that service is or will be for the benefit of persons residing in rural areas.]

(2), (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F9

Extent Information

E1 This version of this provision extends to England and Wales only; a separate version has been created for Scotland only

Textual Amendments

F5 Words repealed by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70, SIF 81:1), Sch. 30

F6 Word substituted by virtue of Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70, SIF 81:1), s. 179(3)

F7 Words repealed by Transport Act 1985 (c. 67, SIF 126), s. 139(2)(3), Sch. 7 para. 10(a), Sch. 8

F8 S. 34(1A) inserted by Transport Act 1985 (c. 67, SIF 126), s. 139(2), Sch. 7 para. 10(b)

F9 S. 34(2)(3) repealed by Local Government Act 1974 (c. 7), Sch. 1 para. 7, Sch. 8

[F10 34 Assistance for rural bus or ferry service. S

(1) A regional, islands or district council or any two or more of those councils acting jointly, may, on such conditions, if any, as they think fit, afford assistance to any other person, by way of grant, loan or both, for the purpose of securing the provision, improvement or continuance of any bus service if in the opinion of the council or councils in question that service is or will be for the benefit of persons residing in rural areas.

(2) A regional or islands council or any two or more of those councils acting jointly, may, on such conditions, if any, as they think fit, afford assistance to any other person, by way of grant, loan or both, for the purpose of securing the provision, improvement or continuance of any ferry service if in the opinion of the council or councils in question that service is or will be for the benefit of persons residing in rural areas.

(3) The Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, make grants in such cases and subject to such conditions as he thinks fit to any of the councils aforesaid in respect of expenditure incurred by that council in making grants under subsection (1) or (2) above, and any grant under this subsection in respect of expenditure in connection with a bus service shall be of an amount equal to half the expenditure in respect of which the grant is made.

(4) The Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury make grants in such cases and subject to such conditions as he thinks fit to regional or islands councils in respect of expenditure incurred by such a council in providing a ferry service which in the opinion of the council is or will be for the benefit of persons residing in rural areas.]

Extent Information

E2 This version of this provision extends to Scotland only; a separate version has been created for England and Wales only

Textual Amendments

F10 S. 34 substituted by Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65, SIF: 81:2), Sch. 18 para. 14

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 S. 34(2) amended by Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 30)