The Senior Traffic Commissioner has issued a consultation seeking 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.
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 focuses 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, whether clearer guidance is needed where performance falls below expectations, including the role of improvement plans before formal regulatory action is taken. Views on compliance with Bus Open Data, Traffic Management and franchising is also sought.
Consultation:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-bus-service-performance-standards-consultation