Franchising: why community transport should be interested

Policy / Research

, England

By Caroline Whitney, Director for England

A few months ago, we wrote about the Department for Transport's franchising guidance and highlighted that community transport should be properly recognised in the design of franchised networks and not left as an afterthought. Since then, DfT has recognised that the group advising local authorities on franchising needed genuine non-commercial and community transport expertise at the table, which is why I was invited to join the Franchising Expert Group.

I've been part of the group for a few months now. It was created by the Department for Transport to provide technical and expert advice to local transport authorities (LTAs) and mayoral regions considering franchising, and I think this is an area every community transport operator needs to be aware of.

Why does this matter? Am I encouraging you to bid for services? No, not unless you want to, but I do encourage you to connect with your local plans.

What franchising actually opens up

Bus franchising is creating space for local transport authorities and mayoral regions to redesign and reconsider the bus network in their area. That's a real chance for us to raise the profile of what community transport delivers, both inside and outside the services an LTA might fund.

As part of the franchising or bus reform process, authorities must engage with stakeholders and operators. We think that should include you. As a sector, you should be telling them what you think about local bus provision and how your services support it.

If you want to grow what you offer, this is an opportunity to explore that. If you'd rather stay as, you are, and you suspect the authority doesn't fully know or understand what you do, this is still a chance to change that.

A diagram that said it all

One LTA I met with had put together a detailed diagram of their local bus system, colour-coded by investment and operator. When I suggested they overlay it with the community transport routes already running in their area, they told me they had the information, they just hadn't thought to put the two together.

That's the gap we need to close. Within the transport system, community transport sits within bus. We may run health trips or social care journeys, but we are a form of bus, and that's where broader support and funding will come from. Franchising gives us a real opportunity to strengthen that connection.

Making room for Section 19 and 22 services

Section 19 and Section 22 permits already give not-for-profit, community-led services an exemption from needing a local service permit, even in a franchised area. That protection exists. What I'm pushing LTAs to consider is how those services are recognised and properly integrated into network design and funding, rather than treated as separate from it.

When I'm working with LTAs, I encourage them to consider how Section 19 and Section 22 services could be part of the franchise conversation. I want to make sure that if even one community transport operator wants that chance, they have it.

This isn't about delivering commercial services. It's about supporting the network where best value is needed. Some franchising models are already looking to integrate demand responsive transport (DRT), which is essentially Dial-a-Ride with an app. That opens up further opportunities for the sector.

Social value in procurement

There's also a chance for us to encourage franchising authorities to build social value into their procurement, recognising community transport as a beneficiary where transport funding supports transport.

Get in touch

If your area is considering franchising and nobody's been in touch with you yet, let us know. We're happy to support any area looking at this, whether that's making the introductions, helping you map what you already deliver, or talking through where Section 19 and 22 services could fit.