Bus Services Act 2025

Prospective

14 Socially necessary local services E+W

(1) The Transport Act 2000 is amended in accordance with subsections (2) and (3).

(2) In section 138A (enhanced partnership plans and schemes)—

(a) in subsection (3), after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) lists which of those local services the authority or authorities consider are socially necessary local services,”;

(b) after subsection (4) insert—

“(4A) A review under subsection (4) is not to include a review of the list of socially necessary local services required by subsection (3)(ba); but the authority or authorities must keep that list under review and amend it from time to time as appears to them to be necessary.”;

(c) after subsection (14) insert—

“(15) In this section and section 138C “socially necessary local service”, in relation to the area to which an enhanced partnership plan relates, means a local service which—

(a) enables passengers to access—

(i) essential goods and services,

(ii) economic opportunities (including employment), or

(iii) social activities, and

(b) if cancelled, is likely to have a material adverse effect on the ability of passengers to access those goods, services, opportunities or activities.”

(3) In section 138C (requirements in respect of local services), after subsection (9) insert—

“(9A) An enhanced partnership scheme must—

(a) specify requirements that apply where the operator of a socially necessary local service listed as required by section 138A(3)(ba) proposes—

(i) to cancel a registration under section 6 of the Transport Act 1985 in relation to the service, or

(ii) to vary the registration in such a way as is likely to have a material adverse effect on the ability of passengers to access the goods, services, opportunities or activities mentioned in section 138A(15)(a) in relation to the service;

(b) require a local transport authority or authorities, having been notified of a proposed cancellation or a proposed variation which is likely to have such an effect, to consider whether any alternative arrangements may be made so as to mitigate that effect.”

(4) The local transport authority or authorities to whose area or combined area, or part of it, an enhanced partnership relates on the day on which this section comes into force (“the commencement day”) must, before the end of the period of one year beginning with that day—

(a) vary the plan in accordance with subsection (3) of section 138K of the Transport Act 2000 so that it identifies which of the services provided in the area are socially necessary local services, and

(b) vary, in accordance with that subsection, each enhanced partnership scheme which, on the commencement day, relates to the whole or part of the area to which the plan relates so that section 138C(9A) of that Act is satisfied in relation to the scheme.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 14 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 41(5)