{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/transport-act-2000/section-153",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/transport-act-2000/section-153.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2000/38",
  "legislation_title": "Transport Act 2000",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/transport-act-2000",
  "path": "section/153",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "153",
  "heading": "Competition test: functions and agreements relating to buses",
  "text": "(1) Schedule 10 contains provision applying competition tests in relation to—\n(a) the exercise of functions relating to advanced quality partnership schemes, quality partnership schemes, advanced ticketing schemes, ticketing schemes , enhanced partnership schemes and subsidised local services,\n(b) voluntary partnership agreements and certain other agreements, decisions and practices relating to bus services.\n(2) A voluntary partnership agreement is any voluntary agreement under which—\n(a) 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\n(b) one or more operators of local services undertake to provide services of a particular standard.\n(3) In subsection (2)—\n“facilities” means—\n(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\n(b)facilities which are ancillary to such facilities;\n“standard”, in the case of any services, includes—\n(a)any requirements which the vehicles being used to provide the services must meet,\n(b)any requirements as to frequency or timing of the services,\n(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;\n“voluntary agreement” means an agreement made otherwise than under sections 113C to 113O (advanced quality partnership schemes), or under sections 114 to 123 (quality partnership schemes).",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "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"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "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"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "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"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "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."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words omitted",
      "affecting": "asc/2026/2",
      "affecting_title": "Bus Services (Wales) Act 2026"
    },
    {
      "type": "words omitted",
      "affecting": "asc/2026/2",
      "affecting_title": "Bus Services (Wales) Act 2026"
    },
    {
      "type": "words omitted",
      "affecting": "asc/2026/2",
      "affecting_title": "Bus Services (Wales) Act 2026"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/38/section/153",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:20:32.082416+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}