Transport (Scotland) Bill 13 Part 2—Bus services 3B Schemes to implement bus services partnership plans (1) A local transport authority must, at the same time as making a partnership plan, make one or more bus services improvement partnership schemes (a “partnership scheme”) relating to the whole or part of the area to which the 5 plan relates. (2) A local transport authority that have made a partnership plan may make such further partnership schemes relating to the whole or part of the area of the partnership plan as they consider appropriate. (3) A partnership scheme is a scheme that— 10 (a) specifies the area and the period to which the scheme relates, (b) imposes one or more service standards in relation to the local services that have one or more stopping places in that area, and (c) specifies one or more— (i) facilities to be provided in the area as part of the scheme, or 15 (ii) measures to be taken under the scheme, by the local transport authority. (4) A partnership scheme may— (a) provide for the exemption of such local services or such descriptions of local services as the scheme may specify, and 20 (b) specify conditions (if any) as to when such exemptions are to apply. (5) A partnership scheme may also include requirements for the taking of actions in order to facilitate the operation of the partnership scheme. (6) A partnership scheme may be made only if the local transport authority are satisfied that— 25 (a) the scheme will contribute to the implementation of— (i) the policies set out in the partnership plan to which it relates, and (ii) the authority‟s relevant general policies, and (b) the scheme will— (i) bring benefits to persons using local services in the whole or any 30 part of the area to which the scheme relates by improving the quality or effectiveness of those services, or (ii) reduce or limit traffic congestion, noise or air pollution. (7) Any specified facility must be provided at specific locations along routes served, or proposed to be served, by local services within the area of the 35 partnership scheme. (8) Nothing that a local transport authority are required to provide or secure the provision of by virtue of section 33 or 34 is to be specified as a facility or measure for the purposes of a partnership scheme. (9) A partnership scheme must specify how its operation is to be reviewed and the 40 dates by which reviews are to be completed. 14 Transport (Scotland) Bill Part 2—Bus services (10) A partnership scheme may provide for circumstances in which it may be varied or revoked in accordance with the provisions of the scheme (rather than under section 3H or, as the case may be, 3I). (11) To make a partnership scheme a local transport authority must comply with 5 Part 1 of schedule A1. 3C Partnership schemes: service standards (1) The service standards that a partnership scheme may impose include requirements— (a) in relation to the frequency or timing of particular local services or local 10 services of particular descriptions (a “route service standard”), or (b) in relation to any other matter relating to the standard of service that is to be provided (an “operational service standard”). (2) A route service standard may, in particular, determine the frequency or timing allowed in relation to a local service— 15 (a) by reference only to that service, (b) by reference to that service and other local services, taken together. (3) An operational service standard may, in particular, impose requirements about— (a) the vehicles which are used to provide services, 20 (b) the maximum fares that may be charged for particular journeys, or for journeys of particular descriptions on services to which the scheme applies, (c) ticketing and the manner in which entitlement to travel may be evidenced, 25 (d) the pricing of multi-operator travel cards, (e) the provision of information to the public about local services, (f) the dates on which the timing of local services may be changed. (4) A partnership scheme may not impose service standards in relation to the use of vehicles under permits granted under section 22 of the 1985 Act. 30 (5) A service standard imposed by a partnership scheme has effect only in relation to so much of a local service as is provided in the area to which the scheme relates. (6) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations define the expression “multi- operator travel cards” for the purposes of this section. 35 3D Route service standards: modification for overprovision (1) This section applies where— (a) a partnership scheme is in operation, (b) a route service standard imposed by the scheme applies to a service registered under section 6 of the 1985 Act, and Transport (Scotland) Bill 15 Part 2—Bus services (c) the local transport authority who made the scheme are satisfied that, due to an increase (or an expected increase) in the number of operators registered in respect of the area of the scheme, the service cannot be provided in accordance with the route service standard. 5 (2) The local transport authority must modify the route service standard in such manner as is necessary to take account of the number of registered operators (or expected number of such operators) to enable the service to be provided in accordance with the service standard. (3) A modification of a route service standard under this section is to be treated as 10 a variation under section 3H of the partnership scheme which imposed the service standard and paragraph 18(3) of schedule 1A applies to the modification as it does to such a variation. (4) Without limit to the generality of section 3L, the Scottish Ministers may by regulations make further provision about the modification of route service 15 standards under this section, including, in particular, provision— (a) about the process that a local transport authority must comply with before making a modification under this section, (b) about the circumstances in which a modification may be postponed and the process to be followed to postpone a modification, 20 (c) specifying circumstances in which this section is not to apply. 3E Partnership schemes: Scottish Ministers’ traffic regulation orders (1) This section applies if, in relation to a proposed partnership scheme or the proposed variation of an existing scheme, the provision of a facility requires the making of a traffic regulation order in respect of a road for which the 25 Scottish Ministers are the traffic authority. (2) The partnership scheme may not be made or varied unless it is made or varied by the local transport authority and the Scottish Ministers acting jointly. 3F Effect of partnership plans and schemes (1) If a partnership scheme imposes a service standard in relation to a local 30 service, the operator of the service must comply with the service standard. (2) If a partnership scheme requires a local transport authority or, where section 3E applies, the Scottish Ministers, to provide a facility, they must— (a) provide the facility not later than the date specified in the scheme for its provision (subject to the local transport authority postponing its coming 35 into operation under section 3G...