Non-Commercial Bus Services

Tender description

Due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on bus patronage, bus operators within Torbay have been struggling to break even. Since the pandemic, Torbay Council has been providing emergency financial support for 9 public bus routes for socially necessary bus services. These bus routes have still not returned to commercial viability and without the continued financial support will be at risk of being withdrawn with the associated detrimental impact on access to employment, education, services, health, and well-being in addition to Torbay’s climate emergency efforts. Torbay Council is seeking Operators to at least retain the existing bus service network in accordance with the Councils BSIP, but also to enhance it with improvements to service levels, including operating to key locations which are not currently served. Our aim is to improve the routes with increased frequency, additional services covering earlier and later times and at weekends with modern, low floor, zero or low emission vehicles. Keywords: bus operator, bus service, subsidised bus service, Non-commercial bus service