Official Gazette Notification Text
Official TranscriptStatus: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2026 No. 1136 (C. 96) PUBLIC PASSENGER TRANSPORT, ENGLAND The Bus Services Act 2025 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provision) (England) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 26th October 2026 The Secretary of State makes these...
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2026 No. 1136 (C. 96) PUBLIC PASSENGER TRANSPORT, ENGLAND The Bus Services Act 2025 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provision) (England) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 26th October 2026 The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 41(5)
(b) and (7) of the Bus Services Act 2025(1).
Citation, extent, application and interpretation
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Bus Services Act 2025 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provision) (England) Regulations 2026.
(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales.
(3) These Regulations apply in relation to England only.
(4) In these Regulations— “the 2000 Act” means the Transport Act 2000(2); “the 2025 Act” means the Bus Services Act 2025.
Provisions coming into force on 29th October 2026
2. The following provisions of the 2025 Act come into force on 29th October 2026—
(a) section 9 (report on assessment of proposed scheme);
(b) section 37 (use of zero-emission vehicles for local services in England).
Transitional provision
3.—(1) Paragraph (2) applies where a franchising authority(3) obtains a report on the assessment of a proposed franchising scheme(4) under section 123D of the 2000 Act during the period—
(a) beginning on 29th October 2026, and
(1) 2025 c. 24.
(2) 2000 c. 38.
(3) See section 123A(4) of the 2000 Act for the meaning of “franchising authority”.
(4) See section 123A(3) of the 2000 Act for the meaning of “franchising scheme”.Document Generated: 2026-10-28
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
(b) ending at 11.59 p.m. on the day before the first regulations to be made by the Secretary of State under section 123D(8) of the 2000 Act come into force.
(2) Where this paragraph applies, a franchising authority—
(a) must not follow the requirements for obtaining a report on the assessment of a proposed franchising scheme under section 123D of the 2000 Act as amended by section 9 of the 2025 Act, but
(b) must follow the requirements for obtaining a report on the assessment of a proposed franchising scheme under section 123D of the 2000 Act as if section 9 of the 2025 Act had not been brought into force.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport Simon Lightwood Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 26th October 2026 Department for Transport 2Document Generated: 2026-10-28
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations bring into force specified provisions of the Bus Services Act 2025 (c. 24) (“the 2025 Act”). These are the third commencement Regulations made under the 2025 Act.
Regulation 2 of these Regulations brings sections 9 and 37 of the 2025 Act into force on 29th October
2026.
Section 9 of the 2025 Act makes provision in respect of reports on the assessment of proposed bus franchising schemes. It amends section 123D of the Transport Act 2000 (c. 38) (“the 2000 Act”) to expand the types of professionals who can conduct an independent report on franchising scheme assessments from auditors to “approved persons”. Section 9 of the 2025 Act amends section 123D(8) of the 2000 Act to provide that “approved persons” are persons specified, or of a description specified, in regulations to be made by the Secretary of State under section 123D(8).
Regulation 3 of these Regulations makes transitional provision for the assessment of proposed bus franchising schemes following the coming into force of section 9 of the 2025 Act. Where a report on the assessment of a proposed franchising scheme is being obtained under section 123D, the 2000 Act will continue to have effect as if it had not been amended by section 9 of the 2025 Act. This arrangement only applies from 29th October 2026 until the date on which the first regulations made by the Secretary of State under section 123D(8) of the 2000 Act come into force. This is to allow time for the Secretary of State to make regulations specifying “approved persons” to report on assessments of proposed bus franchising schemes under section 123D(8).
Section 37 of the 2025 Act makes provision in respect of the use of non-zero emission vehicles on registered local bus services in England. It inserts a new section 151A into the 2000 Act to prevent the use of new non-zero-emission vehicles on registered local bus services in England on or after a date to be specified by the Secretary of State in regulations.
A full impact assessment has been published in relation to the 2025 Act and copies can be obtained
at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/en/ukpga/2025/24/resources or from the Department for Transport at Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR, United Kingdom.
NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT REGULATIONS (This note is not part of the Regulations) The following provisions of the Bus Services Act 2025 have been brought into force by commencement Regulations made before the date of these Regulations.
Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
Section 1 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 2 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 3 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 4 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 5 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 6 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46 3Document Generated: 2026-10-28
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Section 8 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 10 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 11 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 12 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 13 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 14 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 15 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 16 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 17 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 18(1) to (3) 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 18(4) 1 July 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 18(5) 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 19 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 20 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 21 1 April 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 22 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 23 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 27 (remainder) 5 August 2026 S.I. 2026/834
Section 28 5 August 2026 S.I. 2026/834
Section 29 5 August 2026 S.I. 2026/834
Section 30 5 August 2026 S.I. 2026/834
Section 32 (partially) 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46
Section 32 (remainder) 5 August 2026 S.I. 2026/834
Section 34 (remainder) 5 August 2026 S.I. 2026/834
Section 35 5 August 2026 S.I. 2026/834
Section 36 (remainder) 5 August 2026 S.I. 2026/834 Schedule (remainder) 26 January 2026 S.I. 2026/46 4