Section 153 Competition test: functions and agreements relating to busesC3F1I1C1C2
England and Wales
Schedule 10 contains provision applying competition tests in relation to—
voluntary partnership agreements and certain other agreements, decisions and practices relating to bus services.
A voluntary partnership agreement is any voluntary agreement under which—
a local transport authority, or two or more local transport authorities, undertake to provide particular facilities, or to do anything else for the purpose of bringing benefits to persons using local services, within the whole or part of their area, or combined area, and
one or more operators of local services undertake to provide services of a particular standard.
In subsection (2)—
“facilities” means—
- (a)
facilities provided at specific locations along routes served, or proposed to be served, by local services within the area to which the agreement relates, or
- (b)
facilities which are ancillary to such facilities;
- (a)
“standard”, in the case of any services, includes—
- (a)
any requirements which the vehicles being used to provide the services must meet,
- (b)
any requirements as to frequency or timing of the services,
- (c)
any requirements as to the maximum fares that may be charged for particular journeys, or for journeys of particular descriptions, on services to which the agreement applies;
- (a)
“voluntary agreement” means an agreement made otherwise than under F5sections 113C to 113O (advanced quality partnership schemes), or under sections 114 to 123 (quality partnership schemes).
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
S. 153 substituted (9.2.2009 for E., 1.4.2009 for W.) by Local Transport Act 2008 (c. 26), ss. 46(1), 134(4); S.I. 2009/107, art. 2(2), Sch. 2 Pt. 1; S.I. 2009/579, art. 2(d)
- F2
Words in s. 153(1)(a) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 27.6.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Bus Services Act 2017 (c. 21), s. 26(3), Sch. 1 para. 8(2)
- F3
Words in s. 153(1)(a) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 27.6.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Bus Services Act 2017 (c. 21), s. 26(3), Sch. 3 para. 5
- F4
Words in s. 153(1)(a) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 27.6.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Bus Services Act 2017 (c. 21), s. 26(3), Sch. 4 para. 5
- F5
Words in s. 153(3) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 27.6.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Bus Services Act 2017 (c. 21), s. 26(3), Sch. 1 para. 8(3)
Modifications
- C1
Ss. 152-162: functions transferred (28.2.2024) by The East Midlands Combined County Authority Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/232), regs. 1(2), 15(2)
- C2
Ss. 112-159: transfer of functions (5.2.2025) by The Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/113), arts. 1(2), 7
- C3
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (20.12.2023) by The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/1432), arts. 1(2), 13(1)(2)
Commencement
- I1
S. 153 partly in force; s. 153 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 275(1)(2); s. 153 in force for specified purposes (E.) at 1.2.2001 by S.I. 2001/57, art. 3(2), Sch. 3 Pt. I (subject to the savings in Sch. 3 Pt. II); s. 153 in force for specified purposes (W.) at 1.8.2001 by S.I. 2001/2788, art. 2, Sch. 1 para. 8; s. 153 in force in so far as it is not already in force (E.) at 26.10.2001 by S.I. 2001/3342, art. 2, Sch.
Notes on Part II
Modifications
- C1
Pt. 2: power to amend conferred (17.10.2007 for specified purposes, 1.4.2008 in so far as not already in force) by Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 (c. 13), ss. 8(1), 9(1)(2), 10(1)(2), 15(1); S.I. 2007/2799, arts. 2, 3 (with art. 4)
- C2
Pt. 2: transfer of functions (1.4.2014) by The Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Combined Authority Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/865), arts. 1, 8(1)(b) (with arts. 8(4), 12)
- C3
Pt. 2: transfer of functions (15.4.2014) by The Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland Combined Authority Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1012), arts. 1, 8, 9 (with art. 11)
- C4
Pt. 2: delegation of functions (1.4.2016) by The Tees Valley Combined Authority Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/449), arts. 1(a), 6(b)
- C5
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (9.2.2017) by The West of England Combined Authority Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/126), arts. 1(3), 8
- C6
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (9.2.2017) by The West of England Combined Authority Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/126), arts. 1(3), 8(1)
- C7
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (3.3.2017) by The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/251), arts. 1(2)(b), 8(b)
- C8
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (8.5.2017) by The Tees Valley Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/431), arts. 1(2), 4(1)(2)
- C9
Pt. 2: transfer of functions (2.11.2018) by The Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/1133), arts. 1, 7 (with art. 28)
- C10
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (2.11.2018) by The Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/1133), arts. 1, 9 (with art. 28)
- C11
Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (W.) (28.2.2022) by The South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/343), regs. 1(3)(b), 12(2)
- C12
Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (30.6.2022) by The North Wales Corporate Joint Committee Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/339), regs. 1(3)(b), 12(2)
- C13
Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (30.6.2022) by The Mid Wales Corporate Joint Committee Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/342), regs. 1(3)(b), 12(2)
- C14
Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (W.) (30.6.2022) by The South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/352), regs. 1(3)(b), 12(2)
- C16
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (28.2.2024) by The East Midlands Combined County Authority Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/232), regs. 1(2), 15(1)
- C17
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable concurrently (E.) (7.5.2024) by The North East Mayoral Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/402), arts. 1(3), 19(c) (with art. 9)
- C18
Pt. 2: transfer of functions (with modifications) (5.2.2025) by The Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/115), regs. 1(2), 10
- C19
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (with modifications) (5.2.2025) by The Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/117), regs. 1(2), 14
- C20
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (5.2.2025) by The Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/113), arts. 1(2), 7
- C21
Pt. 2: functions made exercisable (with modifications) (5.2.2025) by The Lancashire Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/118), regs. 1(2), 10