48.Subsection (1) provides that a QC scheme will cease to have effect if an authority have not, within 12 months of the date the scheme was made, entered into a QC in respect of each local service. However, subsection (2) provides that local transport authorities may seek a variation of the scheme where they have not been able to enter into a QC in respect of each local service within that period. For example, the authority may seek an extension to the 12-month period to enable them to let any outstanding contracts, or in a multi-contract scheme they may seek to reduce the scope of the scheme by reducing the number of contracts within it.