Current Contract which Funds the Operation of Local Bus Services
Case reference FOI2026/01137
Received 11 May 2026
Published 8 June 2026
Request
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information.
I would greatly appreciate if you could you provide, for each current contract under which this authority funds (in whole or in part) the operation of local bus services, the following:
1. The name of the operator / contracting entity.
2. The contract commencement date and length of contract.
3. Details of any extension options, including:
a. whether the contract contains an extension provision;
b. the length of each possible extension; and
c. the latest possible expiry date if all extensions were exercised.
4. The total amount of funding paid by this authority under each contract in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, or, if that is not available, the most recent 12-month period held in recorded form.
5. Whether the operator is entitled to retain farebox revenue under the contract and, if so:
a. whether all or part of fare revenue is retained by the operator;
b. If part is retained what proportion.
6. For each supported fixed-route service operated under the contract:
a. route/service number or identifier;
b. passenger numbers for the most recent full financial year or other full 12-month period if available;
c. subsidy per passenger for the same period if available.
7. How was the contract procured? For example on a direct award, DPS, open tender of other framework
Response
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information.
I would greatly appreciate if you could you provide, for each current contract under which this authority funds (in whole or in part) the operation of local bus services, the following:
1. The name of the operator / contracting entity.
2. The contract commencement date and length of contract.
3. Details of any extension options, including:
a. whether the contract contains an extension provision;
b. the length of each possible extension; and
c. the latest possible expiry date if all extensions were exercised.
Answer: This information is publically available on our council website and can be viewed via the following link:
Please see the following Contract IDs on the Contracts Register:
598
101983
101984
101985
101986
102705
105213
105214
105215
105216
106455
106456
106457
107049
As such we consider this information to be exempt under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because it is reasonably accessible to you via other means. Please take this letter as a refusal notice under S17 of the Act.
4. The total amount of funding paid by this authority under each contract in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, or, if that is not available, the most recent 12-month period held in recorded form.
Answer: Please see the attached FOI2026 01137 Q4 Response Spreadsheet.
Please note, the Service Area have advised where costs are “N/A”, this is due to the contract/route not starting and no payments being made.
5. Whether the operator is entitled to retain farebox revenue under the contract and, if so:
a. whether all or part of fare revenue is retained by the operator;
Answer: The Service Area have advised all revenue is kept by the operator.
b. If part is retained what proportion.
Answer: N/A
6. For each supported fixed-route service operated under the contract:
a. route/service number or identifier;
Answer: Please see Column C in the attached FOI2026 01137 Q4 Response Spreadsheet, provided for question 4 above.
b. passenger numbers for the most recent full financial year or other full 12-month period if available;
Answer: Please see Column K in the attached FOI2026 01137 Q4 Response Spreadsheet, provided for question 4 above.
Please note, the Service Area have advised data for patronage comes from a 3rd party supplier and the reports aren’t always complete. Also, due to some routes being commercial and partially subsidised, we rely on operators to send their figures, which they aren’t obliged to do if we aren’t funding the entire service. Where we subsidise a route, it’s usually a small portion or adding extra journeys to assist residents.
Please note, where costs are “N/A”, this is due to the contract/route not starting and no payments being made.
We have provided the information we hold.
c. subsidy per passenger for the same period if available.
Answer: This information is not held. The Service Area have advised we do not pay on a ‘per passenger basis’.
7. How was the contract procured? For example on a direct award, DPS, open tender of other framework
Answer: DPS framework.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.