The Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain, Kevin Rooney, has today launched a consultation to review how traffic commissioners assess the performance of local bus services, including punctuality, reliability and wider regulatory expectations.

The consultation seeks views from operators, local authorities, passenger groups and other stakeholders on whether current standards remain fit for purpose and how they should evolve to reflect changes in the industry, legislation and technology.

Focusing in particular 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, how standards should apply to different types of services, including frequent and flexible routes, what constitutes a ‘reasonable excuse’ for poor performance and what positive actions by operators should be recognised as mitigation as well as whether clearer guidance is needed where performance falls below expectations. Plus views on a range of related regulatory matters, including Bus Open Data and Traffic Management.

The consultation also examines how emerging technology, such as real-time passenger information, and evolving operating environments should influence regulatory expectations and broader input to help shape future guidance.

*Consultation ends 11 December 2026

Further information for consultation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-bus-service-performance-standards-consultation