A local bus service uses public service vehicles (PSVs) to carry passengers who pay separate fares over short distances. The route can be any length, as long as passengers can get off within 15 miles (measured in a straight line) of where they got on. Example An express service runs from Bristol to Chepstow. You may think it does not need to be registered as your passenger will travel more than 15 miles between where they get on and off. However, it does need to be registered because it’s less than 15 miles in a straight line. You must usually register with the local authority and the local traffic commissioner if you’re operating a local service outside London - there are some exceptions . You need a London Service Permit to run a service in London . Who can register You can register a local bus service if you: hold a valid PSV operator’s licence hold a community bus permit are a local education authority and want to provide a local service using a school bus belonging to you Taxi or private hire vehicle owners can also register by getting a special PSV operator’s licence . Before you register Before registering a local bus service you should consider if: your route is suitable you have the right sort of vehicles you can keep to the timetable given the traffic conditions on route you have enough drivers to cover absences though sicknesses, holidays, etc you have replacement vehicles if other vehicles are off-road there are any traffic regulation conditions – contact your local traffic area office a Quality Partnership or Quality Contract Scheme exists - contact your local transport authority You must run the service just as you have registered it, even if staff members are ill or a vehicle is off the road. There are penalties if you do not.

You must tell the local authority in England or the local council in Scotland that you’re starting a bus service. You must do this 28 days before you apply to the traffic commissioner. Apply to the traffic commissioner at least 42 days before your service starts - or 56 days before if your service is in Wales. This notice period begins on the day when the traffic commissioner accepts your application. Holders of a ‘Section 22’ community bus permit must give at least 28 days’ notice in England and Wales, and 56 days in Scotland. If you want to start the service sooner you must complete a supplementary form. The traffic commissioner decides whether or not to agree to this. If you’re planning a service in Strathclyde, you must also give notice to the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport 28 days before you apply to the traffic commissioner. Fees It costs: £60 to register a local bus service £13 to register a community bus service Apply online You can register through the electronic bus service registration (EBSR) system. Telephone the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) helpline for information on how to do this. DVSA helpline 0300 123 9000 Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm Find out about call charges Apply by post Print off and fill in the application form for the type of service you want to run: PSV350 - application to register a bus service (England, Wales and Scotland) Application to register a local bus service with a flexible route PSV350A - supplementary form: application to start, change or cancel a registered bus service with less than 56 days’ notice (England, Wales and Scotland) Where to send the form Send the form and fees to: Central Licensing Office - for England and Wales (except London ) Office of the Traffic Commissioner – for Scotland Central Licensing Office Registration Section Central Licensing Office Hillcrest House 386, Harehills Lane Leeds LS9 6NF Office of the Traffic Commissioner The Stamp Office 10 Waterloo Place Edinburgh EH1 3EG Other people you must tell You must also send copies to: all councils your route passes through - for example the county council, shire council, unitary authority the relevant Passenger Transport Executive if there is one Getting help Read the following guides for more information on: local bus service registration: guide for operators (England, Scotland and Wales) the registration of flexibly routed local bus services: guide for operators DVSA helpline Telephone: 0300 123 9000 Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm Find out about call charges

Change or cancel a bus service

Apply to the local authority and the traffic commissioner if you want to: change a timetable, route or other detail of your service cancel the service You must tell the local authority in England or the local council in Scotland that you’re changing or cancelling a bus service. You must do this 28 days before you apply to the traffic commissioner. Apply to the traffic commissioner at least 42 days before your service changes or stops - or 56 days before if your service is in Wales. Holders of a section 22 community bus permit must give at least 28 days’ notice in England and Wales, and 56 days in Scotland. If you want to make the changes or cancel the service sooner, you must fill in a supplementary form (England, Scotland or Wales). The traffic commissioner decides whether or not to agree to this. Fees It costs: £60 to change a local bus service £13 to change a community bus service There’s no fee for a cancellation. Application and supplementary forms Print off and fill in the application and supplementary forms to: change or cancel a registered bus service (England, Scotland or Wales) change or cancel a registered bus service with less than 56 days notice (England, Scotland or Wales)

You do not have to register a bus service if all of the following apply: someone other than you or your agent is responsible for arranging the journey and bringing the passengers together the journey is not advertised in advance to the general public all passengers travel together to or from the same place - for example a school or factory passengers pay the same fare no matter how far they travel School or college bus services If you operate a bus service provided by a local education authority in England or Wales, you may not have to register it. You do not need to register a service if the only passengers who pay fares are either: studying at a school or college supervising pupils or students teachers or assistants working at the school or college If other people can also use the service, it must be registered. Other exemptions You do not need to register: a replacement bus service (for example when a train service is temporarily cancelled and a bus is used instead) provided under an agreement with the Secretary of State, the Scottish Ministers or the National Assembly for Wales excursions or tours - unless they operate once a week or more for at least 6 weeks in a row An excursion or tour is where passengers travel together on a journey, with or without breaks, from one or more places to one or more places and back.

Traffic regulation conditions

The local council can ask the traffic commissioner to impose conditions on your licence. The traffic commissioner will decide if conditions are needed to: prevent dangers to other road users reduce traffic congestion limit environmental pollution The conditions could affect: your bus routes where you can stop when you can stop and for how long where you can turn or reverse the number of vehicles, their type or their frequency In some cases the conditions will start straight away. You’ll be told if conditions have been imposed and they’ll be added to your licence. You cannot meet the conditions You must change the registration within 28 days if you cannot run your service under the conditions. You will not have to pay a fee if you change the registration because of these conditions. You must meet the conditions until the change of registration takes effect. You disagree with the conditions You can ask for a public inquiry within 28 days if you disagree with the traffic commissioner’s decision. It’s against the law to disobey traffic regulation conditions.

Penalties for poor service

Once you have registered your service you must run it: at the times you’ve said it would run along the route you’ve registered Penalties If you do not run a reliable or punctual service the traffic commissioner can stop you from running the service - or even running any services at all. The traffic commissioner can also fine you. The size of the fine is based on the number of vehicles you’re licensed to use. If you provide the local bus service in England and Wales, you may also have to: spend money on providing or improving local services or facilities compensate passengers You can appeal to the Upper Tribunal if you disagree with the traffic commissioner’s decision. Read more about the standards for local bus services and how traffic commissioners expect you to operate.

Register a bus service in London

To run a bus service in London you must have a London Service Permit . Permits last for 5 years and you must normally apply at least 3 months before starting the service. You can apply for a shorter period of notice if Transport for London ( TfL ) agrees.

You may be eligible to take part in a concessionary fare scheme. This reimburses you for carrying passengers who get discounted travel, such as: older people disabled people children Contact your local council for more information on taking part. Some councils offer a voluntary membership scheme for operators. Others have a compulsory scheme. Find out more Find out more about concessionary fare schemes for: England Scotland Wales

Grants for local bus services

You might qualify for the Bus Service Operator’s Grant (in England or Scotland) or the Regional Transport Services Grant (in Wales) if you provide a service where: at least half the seats are available to and regularly used by the general public stops on the route are in places that people are likely to use reasonably often - fixed bus stops or otherwise single journey fares are reasonably priced fares can be paid conveniently the bus does not have signs or any other indication that it’s not available to the general public information about the service, its route and timetable is accessible to the general public advance bookings of flexible services do not deter people who want to make a single journey There are slightly different conditions if your bus service is intended for transporting pupils, people with disabilities or elderly people. Read more about the Bus Service Operator’s Grant (England and Scotland). How to apply Contact the helpline for your area. England Bus Service Operator’s Grant helpline (England) Telephone: 020 7944 8588 bsog@dft.gov.uk Find out about call charges Scotland Bus Service Operator’s Grant helpline (Scotland) Telephone: 0141 272 7319 bsog@transport.gov.scot Find out about call charges Wales The grant is administered through the Regional Transport Consortia: Taith North Wales Consortium covering Anglesey, Gwynedd (excluding the Meirionydd catchment), Conwy, Flintshire Wrexham, Denbighshire. Telephone: 01352 704 561 enquiries@taith.gov.uk Find out about call charges Trafnidiaeth Canolbarth Cymru (TraCC) Mid Wales Consortium covering Ceredigion, Meirionydd catchment of Gwynedd, Powys. Telephone: 01970 633 900 enquiries@tracc.gov.uk Find out about call charges South West Wales Integrated Transport Consortium (SWWITCH) Covering Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot. Telephone: 01792 637 760 or 01792 637 761 swwitchbusfunding@swansea.gov.uk Find out about call charges South East Wales Transport Alliance (Sewta) Consortium covering: Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan Newport, Caerphilly, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire. Telephone: 029 2078 8352 damienweeks@monmouthshire.gov.uk Find out about call charges

Run a local bus service

Overview

A local bus service uses public service vehicles (PSVs) to carry passengers who pay separate fares over short distances.

The route can be any length, as long as passengers can get off within 15 miles (measured in a straight line) of where they got on.

Example An express service runs from Bristol to Chepstow. You may think it does not need to be registered as your passenger will travel more than 15 miles between where they get on and off. However, it does need to be registered because it’s less than 15 miles in a straight line.

You must usually register with the local authority and the local traffic commissioner if you’re operating a local service outside London - there are some exceptions.

You need a London Service Permit to run a service in London.

Who can register

You can register a local bus service if you:

hold a valid PSV operator’s licence
hold a community bus permit
are a local education authority and want to provide a local service using a school bus belonging to you

Taxi or private hire vehicle owners can also register by getting a special PSV operator’s licence.

Before you register

Before registering a local bus service you should consider if:

your route is suitable
you have the right sort of vehicles
you can keep to the timetable given the traffic conditions on route
you have enough drivers to cover absences though sicknesses, holidays, etc
you have replacement vehicles if other vehicles are off-road
there are any traffic regulation conditions – contact your local traffic area office
a Quality Partnership or Quality Contract Scheme exists - contact your local transport authority

You must run the service just as you have registered it, even if staff members are ill or a vehicle is off the road. There are penalties if you do not.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Run a local bus service

Overview

Who can register

Before you register

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Run a local bus service

Overview

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Before you register

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