Part IIE+W Local transport

Financial and competition provisionsE+W

152 Agreements providing for service subsidies.E+W

(1)Part V of the M1Transport Act 1985 (expenditure on public passenger transport services) is amended as follows.

(2)In section 89 (obligation to invite tenders for subsidised services), for subsections (7) and (8) substitute—

“(7)An authority issuing an invitation to tender under this section shall, in determining whether to accept a tender submitted in response to the invitation or which (if any) of several such tenders to accept, have regard in particular to—

(a)a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness;

(b)the implementation of the policies set out in the appropriate bus strategy; and

(c)the reduction or limitation of traffic congestion, noise or air pollution.

(8)In subsection (7)(b) above “the appropriate bus strategy” means—

(a)in the case of a local transport authority (within the meaning of section 108(4) of the Transport Act 2000), their bus strategy;

(b)in the case of a district council which is not such an authority, the bus strategy of the council for the county in which the district is situated; and

(c)in the case of a Passenger Transport Executive for a passenger transport area, the bus strategy made jointly by the Passenger Transport Authority for the area and the councils for the metropolitan districts comprised in the area.”

(3)In section 90(3) (duty of authority to publish reasons for considering that payment of subsidies to secure service in accordance with accepted tender is conducive to achieving most effective and economic application of funds), for the words from “is conducive” to the end substitute “ accords with section 89(7) of this Act. ”

(4)In section 92(1) (authorities subsidising public passenger transport services not to inhibit competition between persons providing or seeking to provide such services in their area), for the words from “so conduct” to the end substitute “ have regard to the interests of the public and of persons providing public passenger transport services in their area. ”