SI 2026/1145 - The Bus Franchising Assessment (Approved Persons) (England) Regulations 2026

S TAT U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S 2026 No. 1145 PUBLIC PASSENGER TRANSPORT, ENGLAND The Bus Franchising Assessment (Approved Persons) (England) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 29th October 2026 Laid before Parliament 3rd November 2026 Coming into force - - 24th November 2026 The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 123D(8) of and paragraph 4(7) of Schedule 9A to the Transport Act 2000(a).

Citation, commencement, extent and application

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Bus Franchising Assessment (Approved Persons)

(England) Regulations 2026.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 24th November 2026.

(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales.

(4) These Regulations apply in relation to England only.

Approved person

2.—(1) A person is specified as an approved person for the purposes of section 123D of and paragraph 4(7) of Schedule 9A to the Transport Act 2000 if that person is either—

(a) an accountant, auditor or senior transport professional, or

(b) the employer of a person mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).

(2) In this regulation— “accountant” means a member of—

(a) the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants,

(b) the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland,

(c) the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales,

(d) the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, or

(e) the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants;

(a) 2000 c. 38. Section 123D was inserted by section 4 of the Bus Services Act 2017 (c. 21) and amended by section 9 of the Bus Services Act 2025 (c. 24) (“the 2025 Act”). Schedule 9A was inserted by the Schedule to the 2025 Act.“auditor” means a person eligible for appointment as a local auditor by virtue of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of the Companies Act 2006(a) as modified by Schedule 5 to the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014(b);

“senior transport professional” means a person who—

(a) holds or has held a position with responsibility for the strategic leadership or oversight of the design, delivery or analysis of transport policy, projects or systems,

(b) has experience in the management of multi-disciplinary or multi-stakeholder projects relating to the transport sector, and

(c) in the course of a business or profession, or in the exercise of a function of a public nature, is or has been responsible for—

(i) the preparation of reports which set out findings and recommendations, and

(ii) the financial appraisal of transport policy, projects or systems.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport Simon Lightwood Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 29th October 2026 Department for Transport EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations specify types of persons as an approved person for the purposes of section 123D of and paragraph 4(7) of Schedule 9A to the Transport Act 2000 (c. 38). Section 123D of that Act provides that an independent approved person must prepare a report on the assessment of a proposed franchising scheme before a franchising authority or authorities can proceed with the scheme. Paragraph 4 of Schedule 9A provides that an independent approved person must prepare a report on the assessment of a proposed variation of a franchising scheme before a franchising authority or authorities can proceed with the variation.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen. © Crown Copyright 2026 Printed and published in the UK by The Stationery Office Limited under the authority and superintendence of Saul Nassé, Controller of His Majesty’s Stationery Office and King’s Printer of Acts of Parliament.

(a) 2006 c. 46.

(b) 2014 c. 2. £6.40

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2026/1145