Transport Act 2000

114 Quality partnership schemes

(1) A local transport authority, or two or more such authorities acting jointly, may make a quality partnership scheme if they are satisfied that the scheme will to any extent implement the policies set out in their bus strategy or strategies.

(2) A quality partnership scheme is a scheme under which—

(a) the authority or authorities provide particular facilities in the whole or part of their area, or combined area, and

(b) operators of local services who wish to use the facilities must undertake to provide local services of a particular standard when using them.

(3) The authority or authorities must be satisfied that both the provision of those facilities and the provision of local services of that standard will—

(a) improve the quality of local services provided in the whole or any part of their area, or combined area, by bringing benefits to persons using those services, or

(b) reduce or limit traffic congestion, noise or air pollution.

(4) A quality partnership scheme may not be made unless the authority or authorities have complied with the notice and consultation requirements imposed by section 115.

(5) The facilities which may be specified in a scheme—

(a) must be facilities provided at specific locations along routes served, or proposed to be served, by local services within the area to which the scheme relates, or facilities which are ancillary to such facilities, but

(b) may not be facilities which are required to be provided as a result of section 139 or 140.

(6) The standard of services which may be specified in a scheme—

(a) include requirements which the vehicles being used to provide the services must meet, but

(b) do not include requirements as to frequency or timing of the services.

(7) If the provision of any of the facilities requires the making of a traffic regulation order in respect of a road or other place in a metropolitan district (other than a road for which the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales is the traffic authority), the scheme may not be made unless it is made by—

(a) the local transport authority or authorities, and

(b) the metropolitan district council for the district,

acting jointly.

(8) If the provision of any of the facilities requires the making of a traffic regulation order in respect of a road for which the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales is the traffic authority, the scheme may not be made unless it is made by—

(a) the local transport authority or authorities, and

(b) the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales,

acting jointly.

(9) Where subsection (7) or (8) applies so that a metropolitan district council, the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales is a maker of the scheme, then (subject to section 121) the relevant references to the authority or authorities include (as well as the local transport authority or authorities) the metropolitan district council, the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales.

(10) For the purpose of subsection (9) the relevant references are those in—

(a) subsections (2) and (4),

(b) sections 115 to 120, and

(c) section 127(7),

and paragraph 27(3) of Schedule 9 to the [1984 c. 27.] Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

(11) In carrying out their functions under this Part in relation to quality partnership schemes, local transport authorities must co-operate with one another.

(12) In considering whether to make a quality partnership scheme, a local transport authority must have regard to the desirability, in appropriate cases, of making a scheme jointly with another such authority.