Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/21/made
Timestamp: 2018-04-24 07:07:50
Document Index: 432266509

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2']

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 113N(1)(a) and (b), (2)(b) and (d), (3), (4)(a), (c), (d) and (e), (5)(a)(iii), (iv) and (v) and (b) and (8) and 160(1)(b) and (c) of the Transport Act 2000(1) makes the following Regulations.
“the 1981 Act” means the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981(2);
“the 1985 Act” means the Transport Act 1985(3);
“admissible objection” has the meaning given in regulation 8;
“authority” means a local transport authority(4);
“lead authority” means—
the authority which has made, or is proposing to make, a scheme; or
where regulation 4 applies, the authority named as the lead authority in the notice of a proposed scheme given under section 113G(1) (notice and consultation requirements) of the 2000 Act(5);
“objector” means an operator who has made an objection in accordance with regulation 9;
“operator” means an operator who provides a local service(6);
“relevant operator” has the meaning given in regulations 6 and 7;
“scheme” means an advanced quality partnership scheme(7);
“traffic commissioner” means a commissioner appointed under section 4 (traffic commissioners) of the 1981 Act(8).
(2) Any period of days prescribed in these Regulations is to be calculated excluding any day which is Christmas Day, Good Friday, or a day which is a bank holiday in England and Wales under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971(9).
3. Where a person is required to consider whether an operator could be expected to secure an appropriate rate of return for operating services of a particular standard specified in any proposed or existing scheme, that person must have regard to the typical rates of return for operating local services of a comparable nature elsewhere in England.
Identification of lead authority
4.—(1) This regulation applies to any scheme containing a standard of services which includes requirements as to—
(a)the frequency or timing of services,
(b)the maximum fares that may be charged for particular journeys, or for journeys of particular descriptions,
(c)the ways in which passengers may pay for journeys, or
(d)the vehicles being used to provide the services,
which is made, or is proposed to be made, by two or more authorities acting jointly.
(a)the authorities referred to in paragraph (1) must specify in the notice of the proposed scheme given under section 113G(1) of the 2000 Act which of them is to act as the lead authority for the purposes of these Regulations; and
(b)the lead authority must, before acting in accordance with any of the duties and responsibilities assigned by virtue of these Regulations—
(i)consult and seek representations from, and
(ii)wherever appropriate, act in accordance with the representations of,
the other authority or other authorities with whom the scheme is made, or is proposed to be made, jointly with the lead authority.
Services to be excluded from the application of section 113E(7) and (8) of the 2000 Act
5.—(1) This regulation applies where a local service is provided in accordance with a service subsidy agreement, or series of such agreements taken together, and that agreement or series of agreements has the effect described in paragraph (2).
(2) The effect is that by virtue of a requirement of the agreement or series of agreements, an operator provides services which meet one or more relevant requirements.
(3) Where this regulation applies, the restrictions contained in section 113E(7) and (8) (advanced quality partnership schemes: facilities, measures and standards) of the 2000 Act(10) do not apply in respect of any relevant requirements.
(a)a “service subsidy agreement” means an agreement made under section 9A(4) (general functions of authorities and executives) of the Transport Act 1968(11) or section 63(5) (functions of local councils with respect to passenger transport in areas other than integrated transport areas and passenger transport areas) of the 1985 Act(12); and
(b)a “relevant requirement” means a requirement specified in a scheme, or proposed scheme as to—
(i)the standard of services to be provided in relation to the frequency or timing of services,
(ii)the maximum fares that may be charged for particular journeys, or for journeys of particular descriptions,
(iii)the ways in which passengers may pay for journeys, or
(iv)the vehicles being used to provide the services.
PART 2Determination of Relevant Operator and Admissible Objection, Decisions and Referrals to a Traffic Commissioner
(a)is operating one or more local services in accordance with the particulars registered under section 6 (registration of local services) of the 1985 Act(13), or
and the local service to which the registration or, as the case may be, application relates has one or more stopping places(14) in the area to which the proposed scheme relates.
(4) Paragraph (2) does not apply to an operator of local services if the only services which that operator provides, or proposes to provide, and to which that paragraph would otherwise apply are services which, under the scheme as proposed by the authority or authorities in the notice given under section 113G(1) of the 2000 Act, would be excluded from the scheme under section 113H(3) (making of scheme) of the 2000 Act(15).
Definition of “relevant operator” following modification of proposed scheme
7.—(1) This regulation applies where an authority or authorities, following consultation under section 113G(3) of the 2000 Act, decide that it is appropriate to make a scheme under section 113H(1) of the 2000 Act with modifications and paragraph (2) applies.
(2) This paragraph applies where the operator did not, on the day referred to in regulation 6(2), satisfy the definition of a relevant operator in that paragraph but would have satisfied that definition if the proposed scheme referred to in the notice given under section 113G(1) of the 2000 Act had instead been the scheme as modified.
(3) Where this regulation applies, the lead authority must, as soon as reasonably practicable, serve notice on any operator to whom paragraph (2) may apply informing that operator of the modifications to the proposed scheme.
(4) Regulations 9 to 16 apply to any operator on whom notice is required to have been served in accordance with paragraph (3) as if the reference in regulation 9(1) to the publication of a notice under section 113G(1) of the 2000 Act was a reference to the service of a notice under paragraph (3) of this regulation.
Procedure for making an objection
9.—(1) An operator who wishes to object to a requirement falling within section 113E(4)(a) or (b) or (5)(a) or (b) of the 2000 Act must make the objection in writing and serve it on the lead authority within a period of 28 days beginning with the day on which the notice given under section 113G(1) of the 2000 Act in relation to that requirement is published.
(2) A copy of the objection made under paragraph (1) must, at the same time as the objection is served on the lead authority, be sent by the objector to a traffic commissioner.
(3) An objection made under paragraph (1) must contain—
(a)a statement describing the basis on which the objector considers that it is a relevant operator for the purposes of section 113E(7) and (8) of the 2000 Act;
(b)a statement describing the basis on which the objector considers that either or both of the grounds specified in regulation 8(3) is or are satisfied; and
(c)evidence to support the statements described in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b).
(4) An operator who makes an objection in accordance with paragraph (1) may withdraw it at any time before the lead authority makes a decision in accordance with regulation 11(1).
Request for further information by lead authority
10.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the lead authority may, within a period of 14 days beginning with the day on which an objection described in regulation 9 is received, request such further information or evidence from the objector as that authority considers necessary in order to reach a decision as to whether the objection is an admissible objection or the objector is a relevant operator.
(2) The lead authority may, with the written consent of the objector, extend the 14 day period specified in paragraph (1).
(3) If the lead authority requests information or evidence in accordance with paragraph (1) the authority must specify the period within which such information or evidence is to be submitted by the objector and that period must—
(a)be not less than 14 days beginning with the day on which the request is issued by the authority; and
(b)be of sufficient length, taking into account the nature and complexity of the request, to provide the objector with a reasonable period within which to respond.
(4) If the objector fails to respond to a request under paragraph (1) within the period specified in the request in accordance with paragraph (3) the lead authority may nevertheless proceed to make a decision under regulation 11.
Referral to a traffic commissioner
12.—(1) The objector may, within a period of 14 days beginning with the day on which the written notice is issued under regulation 11(1) or, where appropriate, the supplementary notice described in regulation 11(4)(b) is issued, refer either of the matters described in paragraph (2) to a traffic commissioner for a determination under regulation 15.
(a)an objection to the decision of the lead authority under regulation 11(1) that an objector is not a relevant operator or that an objection is not an admissible objection; or
(b)an objection to the modified standard of service that the lead authority proposes to specify in the scheme as a consequence of a decision as described in regulation 11(3).
(3) When a matter is referred to a traffic commissioner in accordance with this regulation the objector must at the same time send to the traffic commissioner—
(a)a copy of the objection as submitted to the lead authority;
(b)a copy of any further information or evidence submitted to the lead authority in response to any request under regulation 10(1);
(c)where the matter is an objection described in paragraph (2)(a) a statement describing why, in the opinion of the objector, the decision of the lead authority made under regulation 11 is incorrect; and
(d)where the matter is an objection described in paragraph (2)(b) a statement describing why, in the opinion of the objector, either or both of the grounds specified in regulation 8(3) are satisfied in relation to the modified standard of service proposed to be specified in a scheme.
(4) The objector must, at the same time as submitting the information described in paragraph (3) to the traffic commissioner, submit a copy of that information to the lead authority.
Provision of information to traffic commissioner
13.—(1) Where a matter is referred to a traffic commissioner under regulation 12 for a determination the lead authority must, within a period of 14 days beginning with the day on which the information provided by virtue of regulation 12(4) is received, submit to the traffic commissioner—
(a)a statement describing the basis on which the decision under regulation 11 was taken; and
(b)any additional evidence or information which that authority considers to be relevant to the determination.
(2) The lead authority must, at the same time as it submits the statement described in paragraph (1)(a), send to the objector a copy of that statement and such additional evidence or information which the lead authority is submitting to the traffic commissioner in accordance with paragraph (1)(b).
(3) If the lead authority fails to submit the material described in paragraph (1)(a) and (b) within the period specified in that paragraph, the traffic commissioner may nevertheless proceed to make a determination under regulation 15.
(4) The traffic commissioner may, within a period of 14 days beginning with the end of the period for the submission of the material described in paragraph (1)(a) and (b), request such further information or evidence from the objector or the lead authority as the traffic commissioner considers necessary in order to make a determination.
(5) Where such information or evidence is requested in accordance with paragraph (4) the objector or, as the case may be, the lead authority must submit that information or evidence within a period of 14 days beginning with the day on which the request is received.
(6) The objector or, as the case may be, the lead authority must, at the same time as it submits any information or evidence requested under paragraph (4) to the traffic commissioner, send a copy of that information or evidence to the lead authority or, as the case may be, the objector.
(7) If the objector or, as the case may be, the lead authority fails to respond to a request under paragraph (4) within the period specified in paragraph (5) the traffic commissioner may nevertheless proceed to make a determination under regulation 15.
(8) In this regulation, “the traffic commissioner” means the traffic commissioner dealing with the referral in question.
Assessors to assist traffic commissioners
14.—(1) This regulation applies where a traffic commissioner, in considering any matter referred under regulation 12, is required to determine whether the ground specified in regulation 8(3)(b) has been satisfied.
(2) In making such a determination the traffic commissioner may be assisted by an assessor selected from a panel of persons appointed by the Secretary of State for the purposes of section 17A of the 1981 Act(16) (assessors to assist traffic commissioners).
(3) Where a traffic commissioner seeks the assistance of a person described in paragraph (2), that person must be paid such remuneration as may be determined by the Secretary of State.
Determination of a traffic commissioner
15.—(1) Within a period of 28 days beginning with the date of the later of the following—
(a)the end of the period for submission of the material described in regulation 13(1)(a) and (b), or
(b)the end of the period within which such further information or evidence requested under regulation 13(4) must be submitted,
a traffic commissioner must make a determination of the matter referred under regulation 12 and issue a written notice to the objector and the lead authority informing them of the determination.
(2) Where the determination of the traffic commissioner is that the objection should be upheld, the traffic commissioner may recommend to the lead authority such modifications to the requirements specified in the proposed scheme as to frequencies or timings, maximum fares, the vehicles being used to provide the services or requirements as to the ways in which passengers may pay for journeys as the traffic commissioner considers appropriate.
(3) The objection is no longer an admissible objection for the purposes of section 113E(7) and (8) of the 2000 Act where the traffic commissioner makes recommendations to the lead authority in accordance with paragraph (2), and the authority either—
(a)modifies the scheme in accordance with those recommendations, or
(b)removes the requirement to which the admissible objection relates.
(4) Paragraphs (5) to (9) apply where either—
(a)the traffic commissioner does not make recommendations to the lead authority in relation to a determination described in paragraph (2), or
(b)the authority proposes modifications to the scheme which are different to those recommended by the traffic commissioner under paragraph (2).
(5) Where this paragraph applies the lead authority must, within a period of 28 days beginning with the day on which the determination made under paragraph (1) is received, send a written notice to the objector describing the modifications that the authority proposes to make to the standard of services to be specified in the scheme as a consequence of a determination described in paragraph (2).
(6) The lead authority may, with the written consent of the objector, extend the 28 day period specified in paragraph (5).
(7) If within a period of 14 days beginning with the day on which the notice under paragraph (5) is received the objector has not withdrawn the objection, the lead authority may refer the matter back to a traffic commissioner for a determination.
(8) Where any matter is referred back to a traffic commissioner by virtue of paragraph (7), the traffic commissioner dealing with the referral must make a determination within a period of 14 days beginning with the date on which the matter is referred.
(9) Where the determination of the traffic commissioner in response to a referral under paragraph (7) is that the objection is not an admissible objection, the objection is no longer an admissible objection for the purposes of section 113E(7) and (8) of the 2000 Act.
16.—(1) Where a traffic commissioner considers it to be necessary in order for a particular case to be dealt with fairly and justly the traffic commissioner may, in accordance with paragraph (2), extend any of the periods described in paragraph (3).
(2) A period described in paragraph (3) may only be extended for such period as the traffic commissioner considers appropriate in the circumstances of the case.
(3) The periods are those specified in—
(a)regulation 12(1);
(b)regulation 13(1);
(d)regulation 13(5);
(e)regulation 15(1); and
(f)regulation 15(8).
(c)“existing services” means, in relation to a particular operator, all local services registered under section 6 of the 1985 Act(17) in the name of that operator—
(i)who has given a written undertaking to a traffic commissioner in accordance with section 113J(4) or (5) of the 2000 Act(18) in respect of that scheme; and
(c)take into account, where the lead authority is aware that a relevant participating operator is party to a voluntary partnership agreement, as defined in section 153(2) of the 2000 Act(19) (competition test: functions and agreements relating to buses), or any other agreement with operators of local services, any conditions which that agreement might contain restricting the implementation of changes to requirements as to frequencies, timings or maximum fares to particular dates or times in the year.
1.—(1) The Public Service Vehicles (Traffic Commissioners: Publication and Inquiries) Regulations 1986(20) are amended as follows.
Amendments to the Public Service Vehicles (Registration Restrictions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2009
2.—(1) The Public Service Vehicles (Registration Restrictions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2009(21) are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 4(1)(c) (procedure for making relevant representations)—
(a)before “the quality partnership scheme”, insert “the advanced quality partnership scheme or”;
(b)at the end insert “, as the case may be”.
(3) In regulation 6(5) (period of notice for purposes of section 6 of the 1985 Act) before “114(3A)”, insert “113D(1) or”.
These Regulations make provision about advanced quality partnership schemes. An advanced quality partnership scheme is a scheme made by a local transport authority, or two or more local transport authorities, in England under which the authority provides particular general measures relating to local services or facilities at specific locations along the routes used by local services. In return operators of local services who wish to benefit from those measures or use those facilities must agree to provide services of a particular standard. These standards of service are requirements as to the vehicles being used, frequency or timing of services, maximum fares and the ways in which passengers may pay for journeys.
Advanced quality partnership schemes are made under new provisions inserted into Part 2 of the Transport Act 2000 (“the Transport Act”) by the Bus Services Act 2017.
Part 1 of the Regulations contains general provisions.
Regulation 4 specifies that, where a scheme is to be made jointly by two or more authorities, one of those authorities must be identified as the lead authority for the purposes of these Regulations. This regulation also imposes obligations on a lead authority to consult and, where appropriate, act in accordance with the representations of the other authorities with whom the scheme is made.
Regulation 5 specifies that where a local bus service is operated under a subsidy agreement with the authority, and the effect of the subsidy agreement is that the service is provided to a standard specified in a scheme or proposed scheme, operators cannot by objecting prevent the inclusion of that standard in the scheme.
Part 2 of the Regulations contains definitions of the terms “relevant operator” and “admissible objection”. Under section 113E(7) and (8) of the Transport Act a scheme cannot include a requirement if there are any admissible objections from relevant operators to that requirement. Part 2 also sets out the process by which disputes are resolved about whether an operator is a relevant operator or an objection is admissible.
Regulations 6 and 7 define the term “relevant operator”. This is broadly an operator of local bus services or someone who has applied to operate such services.
Regulation 8 defines the term “admissible objection”. Broadly, an objection is admissible if it would not be practicable or commercially viable for an operator to provide local bus services to the required standard.
Regulations 9 to 16 set out the procedure that applies when an operator wishes to object to the inclusion in a scheme of requirements as to vehicles, frequencies or timings, maximum fares and the ways in which passengers may pay for journeys. To be admissible an objection must be submitted by a relevant operator to the authority in accordance with the prescribed procedure, and must satisfy either or both of the grounds specified in regulation 8(3) referred to above. The authority must make a decision on whether the objector is a relevant operator and whether the objection is an admissible objection and, if the objector is unhappy with that decision, they may refer the matter to the traffic commissioner for a determination.
Part 3 of the Regulations prescribes the procedure under which requirements as to maximum fares and frequencies or timings of services will be reviewed.
Regulation 17 defines key terms used in Part 3.
Regulation 18 provides that where a scheme contains requirements as to maximum fares, these must be reviewed at least every 12 months. They may be reviewed earlier than the end of the specified period where there has been a change in the market conditions which affects the profitability of the services.
Regulation 19 sets out what happens if the authority fails to carry out a review of requirements as to maximum fares.
Regulation 20 allows more than one operator at any time to request a review of requirements as to maximum fares.
Regulation 21 provides for review at any time by the authority of a formula for varying maximum fares in cases where maximum fares are varied at least every 12 months in accordance with that formula.
Regulation 22 provides that more than one operator may at any time request a review of a formula for varying maximum fares.
Regulation 23 makes provision for review by an authority of requirements as to frequencies or timings. No maximum period between reviews of requirements as to frequencies or timings is set out. It is for authorities to decide when they should take place, provided certain conditions are met.
Regulation 24 makes provision for operators at any time to request a review of requirements as to frequencies or timings. Where a prescribed number of operators request a review of the requirements which apply to them, the authority is generally under an obligation to carry out such a review.
Regulation 25 sets out the procedure for all reviews under Part 3 of requirements as to frequencies or timings, maximum fares or the formula used to vary maximum fares.
Regulation 26 provides that following a review of requirements operators may object to the outcome of that review, and if they do so the procedures in Part 2 of these Regulations will apply.
2000 c. 38; section 113N was inserted by section 1 of the Bus Services Act 2017 (c. 21).
By virtue of section 162(3) of the Transport Act 2000, the term “local service” has the meaning given in section 2 of the Transport Act 1985.
Section 4 was substituted by section 3(2) of the Transport Act 1985. It was also amended by sections 2(1) to (6) and 3(2)(a) of the Local Transport Act 2008 (c. 26).
Section 113E was inserted by section 1 of the Bus Services Act 2017.
1968 c. 73. Section 9A was inserted by section 57 of the Transport Act 1985. Section 9A(4) was amended by section 67 of the Local Transport Act 2008.
Section 63(5) was amended by section 68(2) of the Local Transport Act 2008.
Section 17A of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (c. 14) was inserted by section 5 of the Transport Act 1985 (c. 67) and amended by S.I. 2011/2632.
S.I. 2009/443. Regulation 4(1) was amended by S.I. 2013/1644.