Bus Enhanced Partnerships – CMA advice for Local Transport Authorities
Advice for Local Transport Authorities that are developing, monitoring or varying Bus Enhanced Partnerships
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The UK Government’s National Bus Strategy (‘Bus Back Better’) has led local transport authorities (LTAs) in England to develop and implement Enhanced Partnerships (EPs) between themselves and local operators. Under the relevant legislation LTAs must satisfy themselves that their partnership arrangements comply with a bespoke competition test.
The CMA has a dual role in relation to EPs: first it is a statutory consultee to any proposed new EP or variation and the second is that the CMA can conduct an investigation if it considers an EP may not meet the bespoke competition test.
This advice aims to consolidate competition insights and reflections from the CMAs review of EPs to date and to assist LTAs as they develop, monitor or vary their plans and schemes over time. The purpose of the advice is to enable good policy, and to ensure that LTAs are not discouraged from pursuing new and innovative policies.
The CMA has also published LTA advice for bus franchising proposals.
LTAs with queries relating to this advice should contact the CMA advocacy team by email at advocacy@cma.gov.uk