Transport Act 2000

[F1 132C Power of authorities to provide services in exceptional circumstances E+W

(1) This section applies where a person who has agreed to provide a service (“the old service”) in accordance with a quality contract ceases to do so before the end of the period for which the contract was intended to have effect.

(2) The authority, or any one of the authorities, who entered into the quality contract may, in accordance with subsections (4) to (8) and section 132D, provide a local service (an “interim service”) in place of the old service or any part of it.

(3) Subsection (2) has effect notwithstanding any prohibition, restriction or limitation contained in any other enactment on the power of the authority to provide local services.

(4) An authority who provide an interim service of any description must hold a PSV operator’s licence to which no condition is attached under section 26 of the Transport Act 1985 (power of traffic commissioner to attach conditions to licence) prohibiting the authority from using vehicles under the licence to provide services of that description.

(5) Subsection (6) applies if—

(a) an authority provide an interim service in place of an old service or any part of an old service, and

(b) the authority or authorities who entered into the quality contract for the provision of the old service propose to enter into a quality contract for the provision of a replacement service in place of that service or (as the case may be) that part.

(6) The authority, or the authorities acting jointly, must invite tenders (in accordance with section 130) for the provision of the replacement service—

(a) as soon as reasonably practicable after the authority providing the interim service begin to do so, and

(b) in any event no later than three months after the date on which provision of the old service ceased.

(7) But subsection (6) does not apply if the authority, or the authorities acting jointly, decide to secure the provision of the replacement service under section 131 (circumstances in which quality contracts may be entered into without inviting tenders).

(8) The particulars of an interim service, or of a replacement service, need not be identical to the particulars of the old service, or that part of the old service, which it replaces.

(9) In this section—

• “enactment” includes an enactment comprised in subordinate legislation (within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978);

• “interim service” has the meaning given by subsection (2);

• “the old service” has the meaning given by subsection (1);

• “replacement service” means a local service provided under a quality contract in place of an old service or any part of an old service.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 132C, 132D inserted (11.1.2010 for E.) by Local Transport Act 2008 (c. 26), ss. 40(1), 134(4); S.I. 2009/3242, art. 2(1)(a)