Commentary Part 3: Bus Services Section 31: Continuation of schemes for further periods
106.This section inserts a new section 131A into the TA 2000 setting out the procedure that must be followed if an authority wants a quality contracts scheme to continue, with or without modification, beyond the initial period of not more than ten years. Under the existing legislation, it is not possible to continue a scheme, and a new scheme must be made instead.
107.Unless the proposal is an exempt continuation proposal (see section 32), an authority in Wales must secure the approval of the Welsh Ministers before a scheme may continue in operation beyond its initial period, while an authority in England must have published its response to the report issued by the QCS board in relation to the proposed continuation. The notice and continuation requirements of section 125 are to apply to the proposed continuation of a scheme (whether or not it is an exempt continuation proposal), but with the modifications set out in subsections (3), (4) and (5) of section 131A.