ENCTS concession bus passes reimbursement for bus operators.
Case reference FOI2022/00317
Published 31 March 2022
Request
Q1. Can you please tell me how much money you reimburse bus operators for acceptance of ENCTS passes?
Q2. What do they get paid?
Q3. Also how is it worked out?
Q4. Is it just a set amount per journey regardless of length?
Q5. Is it a percentage of the Single fare or Return fare or average cost of fares on the route?
Q6. If so what percentage?
Q7. Is it the same amount for all given to all bus operators?
Q8. Are the reimbursement rates for the OAP version and Disabled version the same?
Q9. Also what is the policy for cross border routes that start in your area and finish in another council or start in another council and finish in your area and how is reimbursement dealt with for such journeys that cross a border?
Q10. Finally can you advise the total amount of money you have given to each bus operator in ENCTS reimbursements that runs in your council area within each year for the past five years (so i require all of the periods of 01/01/2017-31/12/2017 and 01/01/2018-31/12/2018 and 01/01/2019-31/12/2019 and 01/01/2020-31/12/2020 and 01/01/2021-31/12/2021 are the five periods i need) and the list must show the total amount of reimbursement money for each year broken down in to how much has been given to each bus operator that runs in your council area?
Response
A1. The amount varies, please note the following: Concessionary payments are calculated to reimburse bus operators for the cost of providing free travel to concessionary pass holders. Lots of research has been undertaken by the DfT to produce a Calculator tool that can be used to calculate a series of rates to be used for reimbursement.
Date is collected on the number of concessionary passengers, and the average adult fare data from each operator every month. We then use this data in conjunction with the bespoke rates calculated using the DfT tool to estimate the cost of carrying all passengers within a month, for which each operator is reimbursed. More data is available on the DfT website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-reimbursing-bus-operators-for-concessionary-travel
A2. Please see response to Question 1.
A3. Please see response to Question 1.
A4. No
A5. Please see response to Question 1.
A6. N/A
A7. No
A8. Yes
A9. The Local Authority who's area the journey starts in reimburses the operator.
A10. Please see attached spreadsheet which shows breakdown.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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