Route 9 Bus Service

Tender description

Reading Borough Council (RBC) is inviting tenders from suitable operators for the provision of a public Bus Service along Route 9. The current Route 9 runs from Reading Station to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Cressingham Road and Whitley Wood Road/Northumberland Avenue.This tender is offered over two Lots: Lot 1 replicates the existing route and timetable. Lot 2 extends the Lot 1 contract route via Worton Grange to Lime Square and Reading Green Park Train Station. It is assumed that this will be a three-bus timetable. Both services will run from Monday to Friday from approximately 0600-2030.Bidders are invited to bid for one or both Lots. RBC intends to award to one Lot only, based on the prices obtained and the final budget available.The value of the contract is estimated to be between £216K and £1.82million, depending on the Lot selected and the take up of extension options.The closing date for this tender is 10:00 on Tuesday 27th June 2023. Lot 1: Lot 1 - Route 9 core service As part of the Reading Borough Council's (RBC) Bus Service Improvement Plan, RBC has committed to delivering key bus services within the Borough in order to improve equality of access to transport service. The Route 9 service is vital to delivering this outcome.Lot 1 is the core Route 9 service to replicate the existing route and timetable. The service runs from Reading Station to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Cressingham Road and Whitley Wood Road/Northumberland Avenue. The core service will run from Monday to Friday from approximately 0600-2030, although changes to the service, including extending the operating hours, may be enacted during the course of the contract if required to meet customer needs.This Lot is offered on a gross cost basis, with RBC taking on the commercial risk of the service. In this model, bidders submit their price for operating the service as part of the tender return. The Operator shall be paid the full, monthly contract price, but any fares taken aboard the Route 9 Service shall be the property of RBC and shall be netted off against the contract price when invoicing.The estimated value of this contract is between £216K and £660K, based on the core service and depending on the take up of extension options within the contract. However, this service may be developed over the course of the contract to ensure the best possible service for customers, including extended operating hours, and therefore the value of the contract could increase accordingly.The initial term of the contract is due to commence on 24th July 2023 and end on 31st March 2025, with the option to extend until 31st March 2028. Lot 2: Lot 2 - Route 9 extended serivce As part of the Reading Borough Council's (RBC) Bus Service Improvement Plan, RBC has committed to delivering key bus services within the Borough in order to improve equality of access to transport service. The Route 9 service is vital to delivering this outcome.Lot 2 is an extended Route 9 service. This extends the Lot 1 contract route that uns from Reading Station to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Cressingham Road and Whitley Wood Road/Northumberland Avenue, via Worton Grange to Lime Square and the soon to be opened Reading Green Park Train Station. It is assumed that this extend route will require the equivalent of a three-timetable. The core service will run from Monday to Friday from approximately 0600-2030, although changes to the service, including extending the operating hours, may be enacted during the course of the contract if required to meet customer needs.This Lot is offered on a gross cost basis, with RBC taking on the commercial risk of the service. In this model, bidders submit their price for operating the service as part of the tender return. The Operator shall be paid the full, monthly contract price, but any fares taken aboard the Route 9 Service shall be the property of RBC and shall be netted off against the contract price when invoicing.The estimated value of this contract is between £650K and £1.82M, based on a three-bus timetable delivering the core service hours, and depending on the take up of extension options within the contract. However, this service may be developed over the course of the contract to ensure the best possible service for customers, including extended operating hours, and therefore the value of the contract could increase accordingly.The initial term of the contract is due to commence on 24th July 2023 and end on 31st March 2025, with the option to extend until 31st March 2028.