On Thursday 17 September, the Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain launched a consultation to review how traffic commissioners assess the performance of local bus services.
The consultation is aimed at operators, local authorities, passenger groups and other stakeholders and seeks to understand whether current standards remain fit for purpose and how they should evolve to reflect changes in the industry, legislation and technology.
Statutory Document No. 14, which sets out how traffic commissioners approach regulatory action where services fail to meet expected standards, has not undergone a significant review for over a decade. The review forms part of the Traffic Commissioners’ strategic objective to ensure that statutory guidance remains relevant, proportionate and effective.
The consultation particularly focuses on whether the longstanding expectation that 95% of services operate within a window of one minute early to five minutes late remains appropriate in 2026. It also examines: how standards should apply to different types of services; what constitutes a ‘reasonable excuse’ for poor performance; what positive actions by operators should be recognised as mitigation; and whether clearer guidance is needed where performance falls below expectations, including the role of improvement plans before formal regulatory action is taken.
The consultation also seeks views on a range of related regulatory matters, including:
Compliance with Bus Open Data obligations - how traffic commissioners should respond where operators fail to meet their obligations
Traffic management - how powers under the Traffic Management Act 2004 could be used to obtain information from local authorities where network issues affect service performance
Franchising arrangements - the appropriate regulatory response where services operate without the required authority in franchised areas
The consultation also explores how emerging technology and evolving operating environments should influence regulatory expectations. The aim is to ensure that regulatory framework supports reliable local bus services, reflects modern operating conditions, and promotes consistency across the industry.
Kevin Rooney, Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain, said that local bus services play a vital role in connecting communities and supporting economic activity, therefore it is important that regulatory approaches keep pace with changes in the industry.
The consultation is open to responses from individuals and organisations. Stakeholders are invited to submit their views on any of the questions set out in the document. Responses can be submitted by email or post, with full details provided here.