Local Bus Service Registrations – Short Notice Flexibility

22 July 2020

Operators will be aware that, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senior Traffic Commissioner issued an Emergency Statutory Document and an accompanying advice note to operators, which (amongst other things) provided for a much abbreviated and streamlined process for making temporary changes to local bus service registrations during the coronavirus pandemic.

The CPT has now updated members following a meeting held on Monday (20 July 2020) at which the Senior Traffic Commissioner gained approval from local authority representatives and the DfT for a continued degree of flexibility towards local bus service registrations to reflect the ongoing uncertainty for the PSV sector and the challenges faced by operators whilst they assess what is practicable. The advice note currently refers to the fact that the validity of temporary timetables that are in place will end on 30 September 2020 (this having previously been extended from 31 August in England and Wales).  This implies that any timetable changes, other than a complete return to pre-COVID-19 timetable will need to be notified this week.

Following Monday’s meeting, the CPT is recommending that members wait for further information before making any decisions regarding services beyond the end of September and it is anticipated that a further advice note, containing complete details of any continued flexibility, is to be issued by the Senior Traffic Commissioner.

For further guidance on local bus registrations, contact a member of Backhouse Jones’ Regulatory team at regulatory@backhouses.co.uk or call 01254 828300.