• Website aims to prevent ‘wheel reinvention’ on partnership agreements

The website www.buspartnership.com - which contains a series of signed local bus partnership agreements between operators and transport authorities - has been relaunched to help prevent ‘wheel reinvention’.

The Urban Transport Group and the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT), the government-recognised trade association for the UK's bus and coach industry, have refreshed content on the site following the enactment of the Bus Services Act 2017. Both organisations are sponsors of the website, which is also supported by the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers (ATCO).

The website was first launched in 2009, and then last refreshed in 2011.

Jonathan Bray, Director of the Urban Transport Group, said: “The documents show what operators and authorities have agreed elsewhere to help prevent them from having to start from scratch, and instead use existing, signed deals as a basis or template for any future partnerships.

“As the Urban Transport Group, our support for this website on partnership sits alongside the support we have provided for our members for the use of the franchising powers in the Act, including a franchising masterclass we held last year.”

Simon Posner, Chief Executive of CPT, said: “It is vital that Local Government and Bus Operators work together in providing excellent bus services for our passengers. This website provides numerous examples of best practice agreements between operators and authorities to help build future partnerships”.

Click here to view the website.